Lionel Messi might be considered the favorite to land the coveted Ballon d'Or for the World player of the year, but the Barcelona magician believes his team-mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta deserve it more.
Messi has won the last three Ballon d'Or's in landslide victories, and along with Cristiano Ronaldo, is considered as one of the favorites to make it four in a row.
However, despite setting a European record for most goals scored last season, Messi believes his Barca team-mates Xavi or Iniesta, two players who led Spain to victory in Euro 2012, should win the award.
"There's still a long way to go before we know the winner of the Ballon d'Or," Messi told reporters. "We don't even know the nominees yet. Those who are in charge of it will have to decide who wins it.
"I would like it if the Ballon d'Or remains in the Barca dressing-room. Hopefully, Iniesta or Xavi can win the award. They would deserve it for everything they've done in recent years and at Euro 2012.
"The more Barcelona players are nominated for the Ballon d'Or, the better it is for the club."
Despite unprecedented individual success, Messi is concentrating on winning more trophies for Barcelona. "I'm not looking to beat my tally of goals, that is not my objective," the 25-year-old said.
"I want to try and develop as a player and to give more to the team. I hope I still have margin to continue improving. My objective is to win more titles."
Messi admitted he was still upset about missing the penalty against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-finals. "I am still hurting from losing the semi-final against Chelsea with the penalty I missed, and La Liga with the defeat to Madrid at the Camp Nou," he said.
"They are both thorns in our side. But last season is now history.
"It's a fresh start for us all. We have to prepare ourselves as best we can for what will be a tough season.
"I hope we can get back to winning everything again."
Barcelona will see a new coach this year, after Pep Guardiola stepped down at the end of last season, and Messi is confident new coach Tito Vilanova will continue from where Guardiola left off. "What Tito Vilanova has done in these two days (since training began) is exactly what Pep did in his four years," he told Marca. "The same hard-working people remain, everything is equal and we start in the same way.
"Tito helped me improve a great deal when I was younger. I never imagined I would run into him again in the first division, but I am very pleased to have him here."
