Messi named La Liga player of month…for first time

FFILE — Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the final of the Copa del Rey soccer match between FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, May 30, 2015. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

In a stellar 12-year career, Lionel Messi has won the world player of the year award five times and broken endless goalscoring records, but he had never been named player of the month in Spain, until now.

The 28-year-old Argentine forward received the award for La Liga’s player of the month for January on Friday, the first time he has won a prize inaugurated in 2013.

His eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo won the award back in November 2013 and the likes of Atletico Madrid pair Antoine Griezmann and Diego Godin and Nolito of Celta Vigo have won it twice.

Messi, meanwhile, has had to wait until now despite winning the La Liga title seven times in his career.

As well as winning the Ballon d’or in January, Messi scored six goals in five games in La Liga to help Luis Enrique’s side hold a three-point lead at the top of the table over Atletico Madrid while also having a game in hand.

Messi, who became the all-time leading scorer in La Liga in 2014, has scored 298 goals in Spain’s top flight and will have the chance to reach the 300 mark at home to Celta on Sunday.