Lionel Messi named FIFA World Player of the Year while Mourinho scoops top coach award


messi_20110110162331_JPGArgentine striker Lionel Messi was crowned World Player of the Year while Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho took top coaching honors at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala in Zurich Monday.
Messi, 23, secured the prestigious soccer award for the second straight year, edging out Barcelona teammates Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
The mercurial forward has helped Barca maintain its recent domination of the Spanish league and has already grabbed 25 goals in all competitions so far this campaign.
Mourinho's award follows the historic treble the Portuguese tactician secured as boss of Inter in 2010, when he steered the Italian outfit to victory in the league, Italian Cup and the UEFA Champions League, European soccer's premier cup competition.
Known as “The Special One,” the current Real manager is one of only a handful of coaches who has won the Champions League twice, having taken outsider Portuguese team Porto all the way in 2004.
He has been named manager of the year five times in three separate leagues and is a two-time winner of the UEFA Manager of the Year Award.
The voting committee for the FIFA Ballon d’Or comprises journalists, managers and captains of the 208 national sides that make up FIFA.