No rift in team over Ballon d-Or, says Lionel Messi

Messi slams talk of Barca teammates Xavi and Iniesta being unhappy with him after he beat them to player of the year award

Messi slams talk of Barca teammates Xavi and Iniesta being unhappy with him after he beat them to player of the year award

Barcelona's Lionel Messi (centre), Xavi Hernandez (right) and Andres Iniesta are all smiles as Barca fans give them a standing ovation prior to their 5-0 Copa del Rey win over Real Betis in Barcelona on Wednesday. PIC/AFP

Argentine star Lionel Messi yesterday dismissed talk that defeating his Barcelona teammates Andres Iniesta and Xavi in the race for the Ballon d'Or (FIFA player of the year) had strained his relationship with the Spanish pair.

"I don't care what people say. I have the respect and the recognition of my teammates. All my colleagues congratulated me and were happy for me and that is what is the most important for me," he told a news conference.

"I am aware that without my teammates I could not win these prizes. We know what our relationship is and how we get along. The relationship is the same. I am fine with Andres and with Xavi. I have a good relationship with both."

Messi was selected ahead of his two Barcelona teammates at a ceremony in Switzerland on Monday. It was the second straight year that he collected the prize.

The Argentinian forward had been expected to lose out to either one of the two, who won the World Cup with Spain in July, after he endured a modest run at the tournament where he failed to score.