Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player for a record sixth time, pipping Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk to the prestigious award last night.

Axar.az reports citing Metro.co.uk that he Barcelona star moved ahead of great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, who finished third in the voting, to take outright ownership of the record with Van Dijk second and his Reds team-mate Sadio Mane in fourth.

‘It was an amazing year but there’s a couple of players like that who are a bit unnatural,’ said Van Dijk, of Messi and Ronaldo.

‘So you need to respect greatness as well. I was close but there was just someone a little bit better.’

American World Cup winner Megan Rapinoe won the Women’s Ballon d’Or, with England’s Lucy Bronze second. Liverpool’s Alisson Becker lifted the inaugural Yachine Trophy for the top goalkeeper.