Lionel Messi is hopeful that a Barcelona player will win the 2012 Ballon d'Or, and believes both Andres Iniesta and Xavi deserve the prestigious individual award.
The Argentine attacker netted an impressive 73 goals in all competitions in 2011-12, but he feels his team-mates are more deserving to win it because of their exploits at Euro 2012.
"There's still a long way to go before we know the winner of the Ballon d'Or. We don't even know the nominees yet. Those who are in charge of it will have to decide who wins it," Messi stated at a press conference.
"I would like it if the Ballon d'Or remains in the Barca dressing-room. Hopefully, Iniesta or Xavi can win the award. They would deserve it for everything they've done in recent years and at Euro 2012.
"The more Barcelona players are nominated for the Ballon d'Or, the better it is for the club."
Messi won the last three editions of the Ballon d'Or. Iniesta came in second in 2010, while Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo finished as runner-up in 2011.
Messi: Xavi & Iniesta deserve Ballon d'Or
By Stefan Coerts | GOAL.com – Wed, Jul 18, 2012 7:17 PM SGT
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