Messi looks forward to next challenge

2009 continues to be a memorable year for Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi. He recently won Europe's top football accolade and now he's been named FIFA World Player of the Year. It completes a memorable year for the Barcelona and the Argentina star. Speaking in Barcelona on Monday, Messi talked about the award and looked forward to his next challenge.

Argentina's Lionel Messi, seen here addressing the press in  Zurich, was crowned World Player of the Year by world football's  ruling body FIFA on Monday.(AFP/Fabrice Coffrini)

Lionel Messi, the FIFA World Player of the year, says, "It's something special. I have said before that for me the most important thing is to win at group level, at team level. But to be able to receive this recognition, such an important prize, after being very close for two years, to be able to win it at the third opportunity is very important for me.

The truth is that we have come out stronger of the qualifying stage because it was very tough, very complicated for us. We lived through very difficult moments because of everything that was said, what people from the outside talked about. We know that the World Cup is going to be completely different. Because of this, we are really eager."