Football: Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi admits Robert Lewandowski should have been crowned world's best footballer

Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi has reluctantly accepted a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or award as the world's best footballer in Paris - but insists he doesn't deserve it.

Messi beat out Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea's Italian star Jorginho to lift the sport's most prestigious individual award.

But as he accepted his award, the 34-year-old sheepishly confessed Polish international Lewandowski was the more worthy recipient.

"It is a huge honour to fight with Robert [Lewandowski],” he says. “Last year, you were the winner and I think France Football should give it to you.”.

Named the world's best striker, Lewandowski scored a Bundesliga-record 41 goals in just 29 games last season, breaking the mark set by the late Gerd Mueller.

By contrast, Messi's season was disrupted by his sensational fallout with childhood club Barcelona, before his mid-season transfer to French giants Paris St Germain.

He was still able to net 30 goals for Barcelona and lift the Copa Del Ray, and also led Argentina to victory at the Copa America.

"It is incredible to be here again," Messi said. "Two years ago, I thought that it was my last year and now I am here again. 

“I am very happy, very excited and wanting to fight for new challenges.

"I do not know how long I have left, but I hope it will be a long time. I want to thank my teammates from Barcelona and PSG, and especially the Argentina team. 

“I won this award and I had the feeling that I was missing something, and this year, I was able to achieve it.

"A large part of this trophy is because of what we did in the Copa America, so thanks to my teammates - this is also yours."

Messi collected 613 points, with Lewandowski, named best striker, on 580.

Jorginho, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and the European championship with Italy, ended up third on 460, ahead of France's Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante in fourth and fifth places respectively.

Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo finished sixth in the polling - the first time he has ranked outside the top three since 2010.

Messi and Ronaldo have now combined to win 12 of the last 13 Ballon d'Or awards.