Michel Platini believes that Lionel Messi will win both the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the year for his stellar play in the past year.

Platini has said that he endorses Messi's achievements in the last twelve months and is keen for the Barcelona forward to have his exploits recognised officially.

"The player that I like most at the moment is an Argentine who plays with Barcelona - Lionel Messi," Platini told El Mundo Deportivo.

"I like Messi a lot and I believe he will win all the trophies for being the best player by the end of the year.

"Messi has had a fantastic year, like Cristiano Ronaldo had last year, and I think this deserves to be recognised."

The Argentine star has already won the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year and is now seen as the favourite to win the other two major individual accolades.