Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Golder’s News And Sport 

France Football’s Editor-in-Chief has said Lionel Messi’s was “like a kid” after being told he had won his sixth Ballon d’Or three weeks before receiving the award.

Editor-in-Chief Pascal Ferre spoke to Spanish newspaper ‘La Vanguardia’ where he revealed Argentine superstar Messi’s reaction after he was told he had won his sixth Ballon d’Or in a phone conversation on 11th November – three weeks before the gala.

Ferre said he called Messi, 32, and had a “very natural conversation over telephone call while he trained with Argentina” as they prepared for two friendlies against Uruguay and Brazil.

Ferre went on to say: “I told him I wanted to speak with him about the Ballon D’Or and that I had news for him. He told me he had heard rumours.

“I answered ‘well, they are not rumours, I am letting you know you officially won the Ballon d’Or.”

Ferre said Messi was “extremely happy” after “he started to say ‘Really? For real?’ He repeated it several times and I answered ‘Yes, yes, yes, you are the winner.

“He was extremely happy. I could tell he missed the trophy.”

When speaking about Messi’s reaction Ferre said: “He is like a kid that is used to receiving presents on the same dates but when he does not receive them he longs to get them back.

“I also think getting the record deeply impacted him.”

Messi won his sixth Ballon d’Or on Monday 2nd December surpassing former Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s five and to become the footballer who has been given the award the most times.

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