Madrid, Dec 1 (DPA) The Spanish media was delighted that Barcelona’s Argentione striker Lionel Messi has won the European Footballer of the Year award.
It was announced early Tuesday by France Football magazine (organizer of the poll since 1956) that Barcelona’s Messi had picked up 473 points and had come top by a record margin over Cristiano Ronaldo, who earned 233 points.

Messi finished second to Ronaldo in 2008 but has now come ahead of the Real winger - to the delight of the Catalan media.

Messi’s Ballon d’Or award was front-page news in all Catalan newspapers, wether general or sporting, on Tuesday.

The Catalan media are also pleased that Barca playmakers Xavi and Andres Iniesta have come third and fourth respectively - and that Samuel Eto’o has come fifth, largely on the basis of what he did for Barca last season, when they pulled off an unprecedented treble of league, cup and Champions League titles.

The interpretation of Catalan daily paper Sport was that “this is yet another prize for this formidable Barca side.”

Sport is sure that Messi will now go on to win the upcoming FIFA World Player award as well.

Mundo Deportivo, for its part, said that Messi has won the award because of his achievements with Barca - including his spectacular goal in the Champions League final against Manchester United - and despite his problems playing for Diego Maradona’s Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers.

Messi told France Football that “I knew that I was among the favourites because Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009, but I didn’t expect to win with such a margin. This award is very important to me.”

He added that “all the players who won it were great players, and some great players never won it.”

The media in Madrid have accepted Messi winning the Golden Ball ahead of Ronaldo with resignation.

An online poll taken by Marca showed that no less than 77 per cent of readers agree with the choice of Messi.

Rival daily AS, for its part, took “great pride” in the fact that six out of the top seven players in the list (the only exception is Eto’o, who joined Inter Milan from Barca in July) are playing in La Liga.

According to radio station Cadena SER Tuesday, “this shows just how important La Liga has become in world football.”