Lionel Messi wins record fourth Ballon d'Or


Zurich: Lionel Messi won the 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year award for a record fourth-successive time after a record-breaking haul of 91 goals over 12 months. Messi smashed Gerd Muller's 40-year-old record of 85 goals in a calendar year to beat his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta to the accolade. "To tell the truth this is really unbelievable to get this award, to get a fourth award, and the fourth-consecutive award," the 25-year-old winger said Monday in his acceptance speech. "I would like to recognise my colleagues from Barcelona. Andres, it's a proud moment to be by your side this
year. I would like to thank my family, my friends, my wife and my son." The only players to have won the award three times in a row are the Argentinean star himself and UEFA president Michel Platini. Dutch legends Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff have won the gong three times but not in succession. Ronaldo, the 2008 Ballon d'Or winner who was nominated for hitting 46 goals to propel Real Madrid to the Spanish title, finishes behind Messi for the second-straight year. Iniesta was shortlisted after his spectacular form helped Spain retain their European Championship title in the summer, and he was named player of the tournament. Iniesta was runner-up to Messi in 2010. Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque won the coach of the year award. Source: News-Bullet
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The year in Instagram: Photo-sharing website collects Top 10 images that capture the events of 2012 from freak weather to momentous politics

By Nina Golgowski: From Great Britain to the United States, to Argentina to the Middle East, 2012 was undeniably a big year. And as one photo-sharing website will show, so was it for the people's ability to instantly share their experiences. Celebrating the year's highlights, website Instagram has released this photo compilation of some of the world's top 10 biggest events captured by none other than their now more than 100 million users. 'With 2012 coming to a close, it’s only natural to look back at the history-making events that have defined this year,' they write in their blog posting showcasing their list.
February: Severe freezing in Europe earned first place on their list showcasing this picture of a vehicle remarkably drenched in ice
July 4th: This photo of a little girl posing before the Statue of Liberty in New York City earned second place on their list for the U.S.' Independence Day
Skipping a few months into July, a photo of an adorable little girl posing before New York's Statue of Liberty - her own pink, jeweled crown included - highlights the United States’ Independence Day. Days later Spain's Running of the Bulls captured hundreds of spectators and participants in one frame alone. They swamped around a lone black bull seen barrelling through the crowd, throwing at least two men on their backs. On July 20th, London's 2012 Opening Ceremony filled their site with a collection of whimsical and grandiose photos.
July 8th: Spain's the Running of the Bulls earned third place with this astonishing photo of at least two men knocked flat on their backs from a loose bull
July 20th: London's opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics brought in this colourful photo featuring green pastures, clouds and a watermill
Only able to choose one photo for the event, they featured a bright green field where the opening ceremony took place, seen decorated with clouds and a corner watermill. In September, the site honours Space Shuttle Endeavour's flight from Texas to California on the 20th, showing the massive spacecraft secured on the back of a plane. Taking sixth place on their list was the World Series at San Francisco's AT&T Park where the Giants beat the Detroit Tigers in a 4-5 victory.
September 20th: The final flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavour riding on the back of an airplane between Texas and California earned fifth place on their list
October 26th: The 2012 World Series between the San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers was captured as number six
October 27th: Muslims journey to Mecca for the Hajj offered this photo taken by a participant lost in the many thousands around
Celebrating Muslims' journey to Mecca for the Hajj on October 29th, a captivating photo taken by one participant shows thousands of small bodies circling the structure, the city's back dropped lights glowing in the sky above. Days later on October 29th, Hurricane Sandy's descent upon the East Coast earned spot number eight. There, a bench is seen slowly drowned by washing floodwaters rising from the Hudson and East rivers. More than 800,000 photos related to Hurricane Sandy were uploaded during the East Coast super storm they reported.
October 29th: Hurricane Sandy's descent upon the East Coast came in as number eight on their list, with this flooded bench overlooking the Hudson River from New Jersey pictured
November 6th: U.S. President Barack Obama was reelected to the White House defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney, reaction to his win seen on the streets
On November 6th, the site celebrated the U.S.' Election Night where President Barack Obama was reelected to the White House. On that night the website saw more than 100,000 photos under the hashtag of #iVoted and about 150,000 more using #election2012. Lastly, listed as number 10 the site chose the 300,000 protest government in Buenos Aires, capturing just a frame of the thousands of people who turned out to represent their views.
November 9th: The 300,000 protest government in Argentina's Buenos Aires is seen, capturing in this photo just a sliver of the thousands of people who turned out
Strangely out of their 'just a few events captured with Instagram,' they failed to leave out one big milestone for their own site: Thanksgiving. While it is an American holiday, at the time of the event they boasted a record-breaking rate of 226 photos per second uploaded to their page. It was their biggest day for picture uploads with more than 10 million photos specific to the American holiday alone. Source: Travelfwd+
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'Magical' Messi 'not good enough' at home to bag 'best athlete of 2012' award!

(ANI): Soccer star Lionel Messi has been reportedly subbed for the 'best athlete of 2012' award in his home country Argentina. Instead, Argentine boxer Sergio Martinez was awarded the title of "Olimpia de Oro," an honor given to the South American country's top athlete in voting by the Circulo de Periodistas - or association of journalists. Martinez defeated Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr earlier this year in their WBC title fight, Sport24 reports. According to the report, Barcelona star Messi, who has had a record-breaking year with 90 goals, didn't even finish second in the voting. That went to Sebastian Crismanich, the taekwondo fighter who won Argentina's only gold medal in the London Olympics. Messi finished third. As a consolation prize, Messi was voted the best Argentine footballer playing outside Argentina, the report said. "It is an honour having won this prize contending with athletes like Sebastian Crismanich and Leo Messi," Martinez said at the award ceremony on Tuesday night. Messi won the "Olimpia de Oro" award in 2011, the report added. (ANI)' Source: News Track India
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