Lionel Messi wins his sixth Ballon d'Or Ballon d'Or Modric presented the award

Lionel Messi is the 2019 Ballon d'Or winner, claiming football's top individual prize for a record sixth time.

At the ceremony, Luka Modric presented the Barcelona captain with the trophy, after the Croatian's year of holding it in 2018 came to an end.

The voting ended in Messi being chosen as the leading player on the planet at this time, and it's actually his first triumph in this regard since 2015, after four years of Real Madrid control with Cristiano Ronaldo and Modric.

Messi was accompanied by his wife and two children, in addition to some of the club's senior staff as he collected the trophy at the France Football gala.

Messi finished ahead of Virgil van Dijk, despite the fact the Dutchman helped drive Liverpool to Champions League glory and the Netherlands to the final of the inaugural UEFA Nations League.

Cristiano Ronaldo finished third in the voting.

"I remember that for my first Ballon d'Or, I came to Paris at 22 years of age with my three brothers. It was something incredible," Messi said, upon picking up the award.

"Now, ten years later, I am at a different time, a very special time in my personal life with my wife and three children, who accompany me along with my brother and my nephew.

"As my wife said in her [video] message, in all this time I never stopped dreaming, of always wanting to grow, of continuing to improve day by day and especially enjoying football."

Messi suggested that his playing days would soon be coming to an end but stressed that he wants to continue having fun on the field.

"Thank God I can do what I love since I was one or two years old and, God willing, I will have several more years of enjoying [football].

"I am aware of how old I am and these moments are much more enjoyable because retirement is approaching and it is difficult to repeat it.

"Although I have several more years left, at the moment it seems that time flies and everything happens very fast.

"I hope to continue enjoying football, my family, my rivals and this life that I have."