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Luis Enrique: 'Lionel Messi is the greatest player of all time'

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique hails Lionel Messi as the greatest player of all time after the Argentine won his fifth Ballon d'Or award.

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has hailed Lionel Messi as the "best player of all time" after the Argentine won his fifth Ballon d'Or on Monday.

No other player has won the prestigious award more than three times, with Messi extending his own record following a year that saw him help Barcelona to five trophies.

Messi beat off competition from perennial rival Cristiano Ronaldo and teammate Neymar to win the award, and Enrique believes that the 28-year-old is capable of winning even more in the coming years.

After hailing Messi as the greatest ever, Enrique also told reporters: "His ability to interpret the game is brilliant and indispensable and his numbers show that he is a complete player.

"Messi can still win many more Ballons d'Or, but the most important thing is that everything is part of a collective idea that players understand very well."

Enrique was also honoured at the Ballon d'Or ceremony, being named the 2015 FIFA Coach of the Year having led Barca to La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup glory.

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Barney Corkhill
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Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva Santos Junior gestures during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs UD Las Palmas at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on September 26, 2015
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