There's been no shortage of plaudits for Lionel Messi over the past 24 hours after he picked up a record sixth Ballon d'Or award on Monday. The Barcelona star was widely regarded as a worthy winner as he pipped Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk to the prize, which is organised by <em>France Football</em> magazine and voted for by journalists from around the world. But there's new footage which has emerged that sums up perfectly just how appreciated the Argentine is for his brilliance. Messi <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/messi-is-always-an-advantage-barcelona-coach-ernesto-valverde-relieved-to-have-the-argentina-genius-1.945398">produced a moment of magic late on in Barcelona's 1-0 victory at Atletico Madrid on Sunday</a> as he played a neat one-two with Luis Suarez before calmly side-footing home to seal the match. And while you would expect Atletico manager Diego Simeone, one of the more animated figures on the touchline usually, to be venting his anger at his players, his reaction was quite the opposite, as you can see in the video below. Simeone is shown urging his players to get back as Barcelona go on the attack and he eventually becomes resigned to the fact there's nothing he, or his team, can do to stop Messi before reacting to the goal by clapping and a gesture that suggested the striker is simply unstoppable. Many on social media praised Simeone for his his honesty amid what would have felt like a crushing blow for Atletico with only a few minutes remaining. Messi warned his rivals after his Ballon d'Or success that <a href="https://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/lionel-messi-still-has-several-years-left-at-the-top-after-barcelona-superstar-claims-record-sixth-ballon-d-or-1.946162">he still has a few years left at the top level</a>. "It is 10 years since I won my first Ballon d'Or here in Paris and I remember coming here with my three brothers, I was 22 and it was all unthinkable for me what I was going through," said Messi, now 32. "I hope I have several years left to keep enjoying my football. I am aware of the age I have and these moments are all the more enjoyable because the moment when I have to retire is getting closer and that is difficult."
