Barcelona president Joan Laporta is confident Lionel Messi will win World Player of the Year for 2009. "Leo is set to be one of the best players in history and I am convinced that next year we will all recognize his merits," said Laporta.

On this year's winner, Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo, Laporta added begrudgingly: "Football is a team sport and the best player in the world also has to help his team win titles, and in that sense, we must accept that Cristiano Ronaldo was chosen FIFA World Player."