Messi, Rapinoe delight in FIFA Awards wins
SHOWS: MILAN, ITALY (SEPTEMBER 23, 2019) (REUTERS - SEE SCRIPT FOR RESTRICTIONS)
1. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA FORWARD AND CAPTAIN, LIONEL MESSI, SAYING:
"I am happy to have won this award, I am very happy."
REPORTER: "We heard in your speech that today's been a special day also because you had some family here to accept the award with you."
MESSI: "Yeah, it's been really beautiful, really exciting all day today to have the privilege to accept it with my kids, to be able to share this with them. That they made it and were bumping into all the players, they're shy but they love them, and they have had a lot of fun today and during the gala."
REPORTER: "We've reported before that since 2007, you've been nominated for this type of award. 12 years. Leo, what's the secret?"
MESSI: "Well, I don't know what the secret is, the only thing I know is that, hard work, doing the most to keep growing, to keep bettering yourself, to keep winning. That I've always said is most important. Everything else is secondary."
2. WHITE FLASH
3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. WOMEN'S NATIONAL TEAM MIDFIELDER, MEGAN RAPINOE, SAYING:
"Yes, (I'm) very happy, very happy. A little bit surreal, this year has been very crazy, last three months have been crazy. I've never thought that I would have win one of these so I'm very happy. It's extremely exciting."
STORY: Lionel Messi said he was delighted to receive his Best Men's player award and share the moment with his family, as his wife and young sons were in attendance at the FIFA awards ceremony in Milan on Monday (September 23).
Messi beat Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo to win the best FIFA player of the year award for a record sixth time.
Messi, who won the Spanish La Liga title with Barcelona last season as well as the European golden boot having scored 54 goals in 58 games in all competitions, last won the award in 2015.
He did not, however, enjoy success with the national team, losing in the Copa America semi-finals to rivals Brazil.
His win is somewhat of a surprise with Van Dijk, a centre back who transformed Liverpool's defence on the way to the Champions League crown, having won the European best player award.
Messi's win at the La Scala Opera house in Milan also marks a return to the dominance of the Argentine and Ronaldo, who between them have won the award all but once since 2007.
U.S. co-captain Megan Rapinoe won the women's top award after helping her country to the World Cup title this year in a tournament considered to be a milestone in the development and expansion of women's football internationally.
"A little bit surreal, this year has been very crazy, last three months have been crazy" she said. "I've never thought that I would have win one of these so I'm very happy."
Rapinoe, a strong off-the-field activist who also refused a potential visit the White House when the U.S. were on track to retain their world title, said players should use their success to help others.
She beat fellow co-captain Alex Morgan and England's Lucy Bronze.
Liverpool's Juergen Klopp was voted men's coach of the year while U.S. national team coach Jill Ellis took home the best women's coach trophy.
