Nigeria, Dec. 2 -- Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi, has emerged the winner of the 2019 Ballon d'Or.

The 32-year-old on Monday night in a ceremony in Paris beat Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo to the top award.

Messi thus becomes the first player to win the award on six occasions, having been tied with Ronaldo on five before tonight.

This is the first time Messi is winning the Ballon d'Or since 2015.

The Argentine won four Ballons d'Or between 2009 and 2012 before claiming the prize again in 2015.

Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric claimed the prestigious prize in 2018, but the Barca forward has now collected a record sixth Golden Ball.

Messi had been seen as the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or this year,...