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Lionel Messi chested the winner as Barcelona beat Estudiantes of Argentina 2-1 after extra time to win the Club World Cup.
Striker Mauro Boselli had put the Libertadores Cup holders ahead in the 37th minute, Pedro equalised in the 89th and Messi struck with 10 minutes remaining in extra time to hand the European champions the world crown for the first time.

The first clear-cut opening fell to the Argentine underdogs in the fifth minute. Juan Sebastian Veron, who was bringing out all his midfield mastery from years gone by, dinked a delightful ball into the path of Enzo Perez, with Victor Valdes coming quick off his line in order to snuff out the opportunity and Carlos Puyol eventually blasting the ball away to safety.

Barca had a golden opportunity to open the scoring through their star playmaker Xavi. Following good link-up play between Dani Alves and Zlatan Ibrahimovic down the Barca right, Xavi found himself in a one-on-one opportunity with Damian Albil in the Estudiantes goal.
However, rather than take on the shot, the Spanish midfielder attempted to play in Thierry Henry who was arriving late from an acute angle. It, inevitably, proved to be the wrong decision and the chance fizzled out to nothing.

Estudiantesfashioned a heart-in-the-mouth moment in the 27th minute for the Barcelona fans, as a corner delivered by Leandro Benitez was not properly dealt with, and Veron let fly from the edge of the penalty area with a shot that went agonisingly wide of Valdes’ far post.

Ballon d’Or winner Messi had been quiet throughout the opening exchanges, and it was to be his team-mate Xavi who would again be involved in another major talking point for Barcelona just past the half-hour mark.

Ibrahimovic again turned provider, hoisting the ball into the Estudiantes penalty area which Xavi chased down, only to be clipped by the on-rushing Albil. The contact appeared slight, but Barcelona had a case for a penalty which was not awarded.

Three minutes later, the breakthrough for Estudiantes came out of nothing. Boselli beat Puyol and Eric Abidal in the air, to power home a pinpoint cross from the left by Enzo Perez and give Estudiantes a lead at half-time which, although their efforts merited, was still something of a surprise.

Barcelona’s players came out with Pep Guardiola’s words still ringing in their ears and, consequently, began the second half with real purpose. Ibrahimovic came the closest with a sweetly-struck left-footed shot that flew just past Albil’s far post. The talented Swede had spotted the gap, and was desperately unlucky in his failed attempt to execute.

However, as the time continued to pass, the frustration continued to mount for Barcelona. When they finally managed to fashion some space to allow for the creative talents of Messi and Xavi, Dan Alves failed to finish off the move. The ball eluding the Brazilian full-back, just after the hour mark, when any sort of meaningful contact would have given Barcelona an equaliser.

The sense of impatience from the Barcelona bench was becoming tangible. Guardiola had sent on Pedro for the disappointing Seydou Keita at the start of the second-half, and he was prepared to freshen up his attacking options once more as Jeffren took the place of Henry down the left-flank.

Immediately, Barcelona looked a different proposition and the South Americans were powerless to prevent a Barcelona equaliser coming with just one minute of normal time remaining.

Xavi chipped the ball into the box, and Gerard Pique managed to get his head to it. The tall centre-back directed the ball into the path of Pedro who calmly lobbed Albil from just a few yards out.

The Catalans started the first-half of extra-time positively and Messi, who had hardly sparked this final alight, smashed the ball wide when played in by Ibrahimovic.

But he was to make amends ten minutes before the end of extra time, when he chested in Alves’ deep cross after ghosting in between Diaz and Cellay with Albil flapping at thin air.

Barcelona had finally taken the lead 110 minutes into the match, and for all Estudiantes’ efforts in fashioning an equaliser – including a glancing header from Boselli which just went the wrong side of the post following a delightful Veron delivery – they were unable to do so.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi has won the acclaimed Ballon d'Or award after being named European Footballer of the Year.

French magazine France Football said the Argentina forward beat 2008 winner Cristiano Ronaldo into second place by a massive margin – 473 points to 233.

Messi, 22, won the treble of Champions League, the Spanish championship and Spanish cup with Barcelona last season.

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard were eighth and 10th respectively.

Third and fourth place in the voting were Messi's Barcelona team-mates, midfielders Xavi (170 points) and Andres Iniesta (149).

Striker Samuel Eto'o, who left Barcelona for Inter Milan during the close-season, was fifth.

The highest-placed English player was Rooney, while Chelsea forward Didier Drogba came ninth.

France Football said Messi was only seven points short of the maximum available from the 96 jurors.

The magazine quoted Messi as saying: "Honestly, I knew that I was among the favourites because Barcelona had a fruitful year in 2009.

"But I didn't expect to win with such a margin. The Golden Ball is very important to me. All the players who won it were great players, and some great players never won it.

"I dedicate it to my family. They were always present when I needed them and sometimes felt even stronger emotions than me."

Messi becomes the sixth Barcelona player to take the award but the first since Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho in 2005. He is also the first Argentine winner, Alfredo Di Stefano being registered as Spanish when he won the award in 1957.

Messi recently signed a two-year contract extension with the European champions until 2016 – an improved deal which includes a buy-out clause set at 250m euros (£228m).

Messi top-scored in last season's Champions League with nine goals – one of them coming in his side's 2-0 victory over Manchester United in the final in Rome.

That United team contained Ronaldo, the 2008 Ballon d'Or winner, but the Portugal forward, who now plays for Real Madrid, was eclipsed by Messi on the night.

Barca coach Pep Guardiola, having completed an unprecedented treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League titles, said after the final: "I think he is the best player and we didn't need to win today to know he is the best."

Messi, who joined the Catalan giants from Newell's Old Boys at the age of 13 in 2000, usually plays on the right flank even though he is left-footed.

His scampering runs off the wing and surges across the area to shoot or play-in a team mate have become a trademark of Barcelona's eye-catching attacking style.

The arrival of right-back Daniel Alves from Seville in 2008 freed Messi from his wing duties, allowing him to move deeper into midfield, lose his markers, link up better with Barca playmakers Xavi and Iniesta, and burst through on goal from central positions.

He finished as the club's top scorer with 38 goals in all competitions last season.

Messi, whose style is usually likened to that of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, came through the Barca youth system and made his senior debut under Frank Rijkaard aged 16.

He is still only 22 but has amassed three La Liga titles, two European Cups and a Spanish cup. He helped Argentina win the Under-20 World Cup in 2005, finishing as top scorer, and won gold with his country at the 2008 Olympics.

Four years ago, Maradona, who has since become Argentina manager, said Messi would be the player to take over his mantle as national hero.

In addition to the Ballon d'Or, Messi is favourite to be crowned 2009 Fifa World Player of the Year on 21 December.