Camp Nou witnessed an almost fairytale 90 minutes of football at the expense of AC Milan,which means FC Barcelona have progressed to the quarter finals of the Champions League and have been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain F.C .
The ultimate prize is a return to Wembley on the 25th May for a place in the final of the competition which Barcelona last won in 2011.
Diver & Aguilar have been working in collaboration with FCBarcelona since 2008.
See more of the work with FCB:
This weekend the Six Nations Rugby reaches it climax. Will England grab their first Grand Slam since 2003 under the captaincy of Chris Robshaw? Or will Cardiff Blue’s,Leigh Halfpenny help Wales retain the title with his kicking prowess?
Advertising Agency: Grey London, United Kingdom
Agency website: http://www.grey.co.uk
Creative Director: Andy Lockley
Designer: Ryan Connolly
Photographers: Diver & Aguilar
Represented by David Birkitt @ http://www.dmbcreatives.com
Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny is surely one of perhaps a dozen or so ‘definites’ after a second man-of-the-match award in as many games, against Italy. The legendary JPR Williams, who should know a good full-back when he sees one, rated him “the best player on the field by some margin” in Rome, calling him an “incredible player”.
Diver & Aguilar shoot : Leigh Halfpenny for Grey London/Lucozade Sport.
HSBC/Lions Tour 2013 with JWT London.
Editorial source : Bryn Palmer/BBC Sport.
Shot for Luxure Magazine,Liberty issue.Photographers & digital artists Diver & Aguilar filmed this seasons striking shoe collections from designers such as Louis Vuitton,Prada,Gucci and Chanel. With a journey back in time through retro computer Pixel Pop graphic through 21st Century Glitch we present True Transmissions.
Reigning Spanish cup champions FC Barcelona,after an exhaustive season so far,exited the Copa del Rey to Real Madrid last night.
Barcelona are currently 16 points ahead of Real in the Spanish Primera BBVA table,
Their focus will now be on the League and a reversal of fortunes against AC Milan in the Champions League.
Diver & Aguilar have been working with FC Barcelona since 2008.See more of their documentary football work @ www.diveraguilar.com
In collaboration with FC Barcelona,the European Commission has launched a media campaign across the continent to help people quit smoking. The campaign which runs as print and online media was photographed by Diver & Aguilar in Barcelona endorsed by the four captains,Carlos Puyol,Xavi Hernández,Andrés Iniesta,Víctor Valdés and coach Tito Vilanova.
Client : European Commission/FC Barcelona.
Agency : Saatchi & Saatchi Brussels.AD: Stijn Klaver.
Over 125 years, one shirt stands out. It stands for epic journeys and extraordinary deeds, for legendary encounters and a special camaraderie. HSBC is proud to stand behind The British & Irish Lions in their 125th year anniversary. The 2013 Lions Tour to Australia will set sail in May. Showcased here is the first image from the campaign shot by Diver & Aguilar.
Continuing their love affair with luxury brand. Diver & Aguilar shot exquiste bags by Chanel & Bvlgari for “The Rocks” issue of Luxure Magazine.
Jeremy Hoye is a leading British contemporary jewellery designer, for the third collection Diver & Aguilar worked closely on the conceptual and photographic process to realise the campaign.
More than a pretty face. Bejewelled, beautiful and skilfully crafted these luxury watches photographed by Diver & Aguilar for Conde Nast from the most converted brands, prove beauty is more than skin deep.
Creative Director : Gavin Shaw
Art director : Samantha Brownstein
When originally asking the question “Have we intentionally set out to deceive you ?”
Where were these pictures taken? Is the year 1936? Is the location Nipomo, California?
It would of been entirely understandable for you to accept these statements as fact.
In particular if these images were printed on fine art paper and viewed in a gallery space.
With just a little deeper analysis, you become aware that this is in fact a fashion story from the modern era (the credits give this away).
That attempt of deception as to the origins of the image then totally erode away when viewing this work as digital media on an iPad. Or does it ?
Here we have yet another device, in this case a Tablet, that has aided the ease in which we are able to research, spread and digest information, both current and historical in reference. Lets remember the tablet has been around as a form of communication since biblical times, before paper existed.
Certainly there is something lacking from a electronic image which is apparent in a Silver Gelatin print, that of tactile “soul” . But we strongly believe both can and should co-exist side by side as important mediums for visual communication.
The Eye of the Beholder, originally shot for Riders-Moda in Italy, is featured in the May Edition of Creative Review iPad App. Scan the QR code to read the Blog & download the App.
You can see the original story here: http://www.behance.net/gallery/THE-EYE-OF-THE-BEHOLDER/3584069
We asked our Facebook fans to help us select the cover for our next Special: 200 Best Food & Drink Ads. Which came out on top? Editor-in-Chief, Michael Weinzettl reveals all…
IN ADORATION
Documenting history. FC Barcelona 2007-2012.
When we first started documenting FC Barcelona in the Autumn of 2007, the club were still in the care of Frank Rjkaard. We had little idea of what was to be the beginning of a journey that would see us witness a series of events that will be remembered as a historic era in world club football, the achievements of which will see this team compared to the best the world has ever seen.
The team including arguably the greatest player on the planet, Lionel Messi, along with an all star cast including Puyol, Iniesta, Xavi & Valdes.
These pictures document the astonishing achievements of the team under the guidance of coach Josep Guardiola, winning 13 titles in four years (with still the 2012 Copa del Rey to play for), including 3 back to back La Liga titles, twice winners of the Champions League and two times Fifa World Club Cup Champions.
Announcing his decision to leave the club at the end of the 2011-2012 season, we dedicate this photographic document to you. Pep Guardiola, we salute you!
Have we intentionally set out to deceive you?
Where were these pictures taken? Is the year 1936? The location Nipomo, California? It would be entirely understandable for you to believe this was the case.
But, with just a little deeper analysis, you become aware that this is in fact a fashion story (the credits give this away). Within fashion, we have that luxury of creating a fantasy, an illusion that we wish you to believe in, whether that is because this fantasy promotes a lifestyle that you wish to associate with or whether there is something within the “Art” of these images that draws your attention into a much more complex thought process of your own.
In asking the question “Were these photographs taken in 1936?”, we are drawing a direct comparison to the work of Dorothea Lange, who at the time along with Walker Evans was documenting America and the great depression for the FSA. The difference being that her pictures to the best of her ability were her truth, they are technically factual and a historical record, where as this project is a work of fiction. It is also a work that does two things. Firstly it draws inspiration and pays homage to the “Masters” of photography of this period, heavily drawing on the influence of American photographers of this time, we mention Lange and Evans, but there are also strong references to our admiration of the work of Paul Strand and fast forwarding a generation there can be no doubt that Richard Avedon surfaces somewhere within these pictures.
One can question originality in all things photographic and also all things termed as “Art”, but specifically there is a much deeper question we ask within these photographs and that is a question of truth.
Dorothea Lange did not wish to take images with a perceived imagination of what the final image would look like, because she felt that this in itself would be a lie. She wanted to keep a completely open mind as to what she may encounter and what her lens might capture, as she believed this would be nearer the truth of reality when she recorded this moment.
We are already manipulating the true identity of the work you see before you, as we have chosen to show you our pictures in black and white. As photographers we have personally, always seen this as the medium of choice to create drama, theatre and fantasy. The origins of the photographic medium have evolved from the silver halide process and therefore by erasing the colour from these pictures it is much easier to try to convince you of a truth that is not.
My first realization of the potential for the photographic process to manipulate the truth, in fact did not come from the theatre of fashion, which has a genuine argument for doing so, but from the theatre of War. My linguistic education of translating the photographic image began in 1989, this happened to also co-inside with the 150th anniversary of the discovery of the photographic process by Fox-Talbot and Daguerre. In our eyes there is no difference from trying to comprehend the written word or spoken dialect of Arabic or Mandarin Chinese than there is to being able to deeply associate yourself with the visual message hidden within the depths of a photographic plate.
The most famous incidence of this deception being the Robert Capa photograph, “Loyalist Militiaman at the Moment of Death, Cerro Muriano” September 5, 1936, which is now widely believed to have been staged. Another instance of this deception is in the famous image “Raising the flag over the Reichstag” 1945. Here the actual image was doctored to show “Georgian” fighters on the rooftops to please Stalin and also one of the fighters was wearing two watches which were later removed as it was inconceivable that members of the Red Army could be involved in looting.
This brings us to the title of our fashion story, “The Eye of the Beholder” which has been abbreviated from the famous quote “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, because we ask you to make your own mind up about these pictures. Is it acceptable to try to intellectualize a fashion story in this way and ask of the viewer so many questions? Even though this is a fantasy what truths do lie within these pictures?
We have specifically cast a blind man in this project, then intentionally brought him into the photographic studio to be photographed. Going against the grain of what Strand, Kertesz, Ben Shahn or Gary Winogrand recorded, suggesting a photograph of a blind person is perfection of this truth as their face cannot lie (If they are unaware of the cameras presence).
For our production, Richard, our subject is aware that a camera lens is pointing at him, therefore his face can not tell the truth of his mind, as we have interrupted his thought process by alerting him to this fact, but as close as it is possible to reality he is still unaware of his surroundings and asks us, “What am I wearing?”, “What Camera are you using?”.
It was so important to record the “Truth” that Walker Evans collaborated on a 3 year project with James Agee “Many are called” using a hidden camera on the New York subway to document reality of the moment on the face of the people.
We went one step further with our “deception” by also asking our subjects to close their eyes so they were unaware of the moment we captured their image and made our black gentleman be moved to tears, so he was blinded not only by emotion but also by the physical act of crying.
This brings us to the conclusion of our explanation of this work, leaving you to discern your own truth from these images, who do you find beautiful? What beauty can you find within all living beings? Must we admit the camera always lies?
In this case a harmless re-enactment of our deepest admiration for the knowledge we have gained from these historical images, but the truth be known the camera can always lie and deceive for political and controlling purposes.
Finally, the significance of the snake within these images draws a direct correlation to images Avedon took in the American Midwest or that of Nastassja Kinski, this encapsulates the historical timeframe of our project. His images are possibly nothing more than a documentary record and a composition of the most photogenic beauty.
But within our images the serpent does much more, it really does quantify the question “The eye of the beholder?”. Human nature often sees the snake as an enemy of man and throughout biblical history the role of the serpent as a symbolical form of deception and cunning, always ready to strike the venomous blow.
Fashion & Creative Director : Filippo la Bruna
Photographed for WIRED UK. by Diver & Aguilar.
The Ferrari 150° Italia
The wheel boasts fully functional KERS, DRS and pit lane limiter buttons
Meanwhile, the other switches around the wheel can be used to perform all sorts of tasks from adjusting the brake balance to tweaking the fuel mix.
Congratulations to Fernando Alonso,Scuderia Ferrari and all the Tifosi around the world on winning today’s 2012 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix.
Art Installations & Photographs by Diver & Aguilar.
In Collaboration with Filippo la Bruna.
If we could start again, wipe the slate clean, (hindsight is a great thing) we could have the opportunity to rebuild the fragile infrastructure of our planet. To evaluate how to live in an environmentally sustainable way without the uniquely destructive force of humans, known taxonomically as Homo sapiens (Ironically from the latin “Wise Man”) who have roamed the earth since the Middle Paleolithic two hundred thousand years ago.
We could decide what is and isn’t needed to support life itself. How would we manage our natural resources? For example would we choose nuclear energy? Or could newer forms of technology provide us with the key to a greener source of power? Could we even learn to respect nature itself? But this is unfathomable, the realms of science fiction.
Imposed on our Planet our the demands of a population that has peaked beyond seven Billion (on the 31st of October 2011).
Just how did we go from one billion to seven in just two hundred years? Better medicine and improved agriculture resulted in higher life expectancy for children, dramatically increasing the world population, especially in the West. U.N. forecasts suggest the world population could hit a peak of 10.1 billion by 2100 before beginning to decline. But exact numbers are hard to come by — just small variations in fertility rates could mean a population of 15 billion by the end of the century.
We now find ourselves in the position of a population that is drowning in it’s excesses and therefore in it’s waste.
Here the Artist’s have created and photographed these installations that represent the unbridled materialistic greed of our society.
With a goal: Regaining contact with everything that is essential.
It is with these images, the art installations constructed and recorded by Diver & Aguilar, that we must reflect - communicating the ignorance and the arrogance of the man who destroys the beauty of nature around him, by virtue of consumerism: The compulsive demand for objects that continues, paradoxically, to impoverish our lives.
Instead, what we need is to re-evaluate, strip away the superfluous, regenerate our mind first and then our lifestyles into a more equitable sharing of resources.
Taking into account the future of a planet which now has seven billion inhabitants, a world that continues to choose non-renewable energy sources like oil, the fear of reaching peak oil continues to haunt the oil industry, should global production remain at the current rate there is only enough oil for the next 46 years.
We always knew the world’s oil reserves would run out eventually. The oil was formed by natural geological processes which occurred over millions of years. Oil consumption presently exceeds 25 billion barrels a year and demand continues to spiral upward, out of control. The outcome is inevitable.
As we are witnessing now and in the years ahead, wars will be fought as the trail of blood for the conquest of the last remaining black gold and fuel reserves intensifies as the oil-dependent superpowers struggle in vein to preserve our unsustainable way of life.
Some economists and scientists have optimistically predicted that by 2050 the exhaustion of our supplies of oil, the scarcity of fossil fuels and natural gases could actually stabilize world politics.
Surely, that would go against the grain? Of a species that everyday mines, extracts, shovels, burns, wastes, pumps and disposes of 1.8 million kilo’s of material in order to provide an average middle-class American family’s needs for one year.
In the USA alone each year over 12.7 billion kilo’s of food wastage is discarded and less than 2% of the total waste stream in the United States is recycled. While at the same time we witness oil and food exported for arms from Africa and its estimated there are currently well over 900 million under-nourished and 1.1 Billion people lack access to safe drinking water.
As we look to the future the enormous thirst of consumerism that leads us to develop new technology’s such as “biofuels” to find the energy we need is likely to actually be causing more harm than good. With a potential food crisis sending millions more worldwide into starvation and seeing yet more swaths of rainforest and wildlife habitat being cleared at a pace to make way for oil palm plantations, accelerating a policy of deforestation that already see’s 352,000 hectares of forest lost each year.
Within these pages, Art becomes a means to communicate awareness and reflection of possible new perspectives of living.
But as long as we have food in our bellies and entertainment to keep us busy, why should we care? Thus, it is the immorality and indifference of our species that will ultimately lead to our own demise?
The belly of the beast, and the ears,brains,trotters and testicles. The cuts of meat that time forgot.
Creative DIrector : Graham Black. Picture Editor : Melanie Grant.
Betende Hände, in English Praying hands (also known as Studie zu den Händen eines Apostels /Study of the Hands of an Apostle), is a famous Pen-andInk drawing by the German printmaker, painter and Albrecht Dürer made circa 1508. The artwork is stored at the Albertina museum — in Vienna, Austria. Dürer used white heightening technique and black ink on (self-made) blue colored paper. The drawing shows two male hands palm to palm praying.
The drawing for Apostle’s hands was planned to be in the center panel of the triptych for the Heller Altar. Overall, Dürer made 18 sketches for the Altarpiece
Dürer painted the Heller altarpiece, a triptych , between 1507 and 1509 together with Matthias Grünewald.
Our series of images show the close relationship between all artistic medium, whether, pen & Ink, Silver halide or oil on canvas the important thing is shade,form and light.
Creative Director : Graham Black
Picture Editor & Producer : Melaine Grant
IN ADORATION: FIVE YEARS WITH BARCELONA
Whether they are your team or not, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that we are enjoying football during the time of one of the world’s greatest ever club sides. Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona deserve their place in any list of finest teams and London based photography firm Diver and Aguilar have been with the Catalan club throughout the current golden era:
“When we first started documenting FC Barcelona in the Autumn of 2007, We had little idea of what was to be the beginning of a journey that would see us witness a series of events that will be remembered as a historic era in world club football, the achievements of which will see this team compared to the best, arguably the world’s greatest player. These pictures document the astonishing achievements of the team of Josep Guardiola, including three back to back La-Liga titles, twice winners of the Champions League and Fifa World Club Cup.”
We’ve a wonderful gallery for you featuring some of Diver and Aguilar’s best Barcelona moments, and you can see that here.
After being shortlisted at Cannes & winning a Gold Epica Award, Diver & Aguilar’s Magnum “Art” Campaign commissioned by Lola Madrid appears in ARCHIVE MAGAZINE
Diver & Aguilar’s latest fashion story in this months Riders-Moda Magazine Italy.
A Celebration & Theatrical display of Colour & Bespoke Mens Style.
Originally the basis of the concept was to intensify the overwhelming richness of colours in the clothing and it seemed an obvious choice to contrast this with African models dark black skin.
Most people would not look at these clothes and think of them as everyday attire.
As the production developed we realized there was a much more important reason we had chosen to use African models.
Because these Vibrant Italian suits, dare you to be bold.
They embrace your confidence to stand out from the crowd. Possibly deeply rooted in their ethnic heritage African people probably feel more comfortable to show this of Style.
So a whole new debate arose around this after we had shot the story .
Have we lost our sense of individuality in this country ? Is this due to the ease and convenience of buying mass produced clothes these days ? Or do the powers to be continually tell us how we should conform to society rather than express your unique identity ?
There is probably truth in all these arguments and fashion is just one way, in which we can choose to display our creativity .
Recently statistics revealed Whitechapel Road was the most ethnically diverse area in the UK. Certainly visiting the bustling market can easily give you the sense of being transported somewhere more exotic, even on a cold and grey London day.
To a degree we wanted to play on this game of Deception in respect of our choice of location. The abstract nature this environment, it could be anywhere a shanty town in Africa or an underground nightclub in Marrakech,but you can look good in this fashion wherever you are.
The illustrative collage style in which we have chosen to display the final images not only focused on the exquisitedetail within the clothing but relives the exuberant fantasy when we look at these otherwise quite serene pictures of where we might be.
Photographers : Diver & Aguilar
Fashion & Creative Director : Fillipo La Bruna
Casting DIrector : Tom North
Production : David Powell
The current Barcelona team have reached iconic status, their achievements on the field are unprecedented. However, the mesmerising skill and talent of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and co are matched by the creativity and ingenuity of the dynamic duo Diver & Aguilar.
The photographer and designer partnership of Englishman, Mike Diver & Spaniard, Pedro Aguilar has garnered much success in creating a unique visual identity for FC Barcelona.
In their latest project for the club, Diver & Aguilar were given a brief to shoot a collection of contemporary images of team which will be reproduced in a series of vintage football cards.
In association with our good friends at www.totalbarca.com, our readers can view some of fantastic art work shot for the campaign and read extracts from the “Exclusive” in-depth interview with Diver & Aguilar.
The duo discuss what it’s like photographing the most revered players in the world and the creative process of capturing a special era in the clubs history.
Tell us about the brief from FC Barcelona for the current marketing and advertising campaign.
I think this year the brief was quiet different from what had been conceived of in the past. For the last few years the work and concepts were much closer to those of typical advertising, the very powerful graphic images of campaigns for Nike etc. There has also been a trend in advertising which has started to explore a more documentary style of approach. This is something you can see in our “In Adoration” project and this year we took this style further using a lot more colour photography. The imagery is less two dimensional and really feels like you have something interactive in front of you, you’re becoming part of the game, it is very filmic.
The slogan of the campaign is “Long Live Barca, Long live entertainment”. Keeping this in mind, what moments were you looking for?
So adopting this style of approach for the campaign we were shooting live match footage from three different camera positions at the stadium. The campaign was to emphasize the style of football that Barcelona play. This is not anti-football, it’s almost like an opera or a beautiful piece of orchestrated classical music. We had to capture moments that really illustrated that unique mastery of this great team. Drama and particularly emotion was what we were looking for.
Is language a barrier for you while working with the players most of whom have little knowledge of English? Or does Mr Aguilar take care of the talking?
I think there is a universal understanding in language when it comes to taking pictures. Yes some of the players do have a good command over English, others we can speak Spanish or Catalan with as there is always someone around to communicate with the players the ideas and concepts. Normally, we also have drawings and illustrations of what we are looking to achieve and as the saying goes “A picture tells a thousand words” and that breaks down any barriers of language or creed.
Tell us about the experience of shooting live as opposed to working in a controlled studio set-up? Do you enjoy the first as much as the latter which clearly is your strength?
It’s a completely different experience. As I mentioned before, luckily it is not our job to cover the match in the same way as a sports photographer has to for a newspaper. When we first started working live at the match, it was certainly a stressful experience but when we realized the same production values could be applied to working in this environment, things became alot easier. We started to work out a shot list, if you like a storyboard. What were the important moments we really wanted to capture ? Where was our focus going to be? So we have really started to build this into more of an art form.
Any plans to put them on sale any time soon?
As this is a “Art” project, it won’t be a mass produced piece of merchandise. We will discuss with FCB the possibility of a limited edition signed box set. Maybe we are going to make one to put into the museum. We recently shot some of the Manchester United players and the images can be seen in the museum at Old Trafford depicting the historical timeline of the evolution of the players club strip.
If you would like to find more about the work of Diver and Aguilar please visit:
http://www.diveraguilar.com/blog/
www.diveraguilar.com
If you are fanatical about FC Barcelona – then check out www.totalbarca.com to keep up to date with team news, transfers and much, much more!
Read the full in-depth interview - http://www.totalbarca.com/2012/interviews/totalbarca-exclusive-diver-aguilar-on-their-new-barca-work/
Diver & Aguilar’s Interactive “Respect” Campaign for The Barcelona Foundation.
Respect is an important value, both on and off the pitch. We should accept everybody else, even when they are different from us.
Respect the colours, identities, team mates, opponents, referees and fans. Respect all opinions and points of view. In a wider context, respect for others begins with self-respect.
Diver & Aguilar’s portraits of the Barcelona Players have been used in the online “respect” Campaign digitally broadcast to the 100,00 Capacity of the Camp-Nou. The concept in support of respect is that anyone can email there picture to The Barcelona Foundation and have their image broadcast on screens next to the Barcelona Players themselves.
Supported by: Social Work “la Caixa”
In Collaboration with: UEFA RESPECT, UNESCO CATALUNYA, Lilian Thuram Foundation
http://www.somelquefem.cat/somelquerespectem/index.php?lang=en
Having always adored Vinyl Sleeve Artwork, we were delighted to collaborate last year with Fashion Director, Filippo La Bruna of Riders-Moda on a project to re-create Vintage and not so vintage sleeve Artwork as a fashion Project. I came in at the tail end of an era , when CD was now quickly progressing to become the uniform standard and spent ten years working on this mocked down format, many designers grumbling about the lost opportunities to crete works of “Art” . In fact this discussion has once again been brought forth into the limelight, with Creative Review dedicating a whole issue to Music design, looking at the advancement into new media within the industry . We were very proud to have the opportunity to showcase this work last week @ The Pitti Uomo trade show in Florence which attracts more than 30,000 visitors from the fashion industry .
To see the full Project visit : http://www.behance.net/gallery/RETRO-VINYL-SLEEVE-ARTWORK/2281512
In 1871 the American company of Allen and Ginter began inserting pieces of card to protect the cigarettes from being damaged. It was not long before tobacco companies had the idea of printing advertisements on these cards, or “stiffeners” as they were called in the trade. In about 1876 companies began producing a series of cards that the smoker could collect. It was believed that this would encourage the smoker to continue using that particular brand.
The tobacco companies discovered that these sporting cards were a great way to obtain brand loyalty. In 1896 the first football set appeared. Footballers & Club Colours was published by Marcus & Company, a small firm in Manchester. These cards are extremely rare and individual cards are valued at £170. This is true of all the early football sets that were issued at this time: Footballers & Club Colours (Kinner, 1898); Footballers (J. F. Bell, 1902); Footballers (F. J. Smith, 1902) and Footballers (Percy E. Cadle, 1904). The cost of individual cards of these sets vary from £40 to £160.
In 1902 W.D. & H.O. Wills published a set of 66 football cards. This included George Clawley (Tottenham Hotspur), Matt Kingsley (Newcastle United), George Hedley (Sheffield United), Jimmy Crabtree (Aston Villa), Ernest Needham (Sheffield United) and Fred Spiksley (Sheffield Wednesday). Interestingly, most of the players were photographed in suits.
For the 2011-2012 La-Liga Season, Diver & Aguilar have recreated these vintage style cards with the first team squad of FC Barcelona,including Lionel Messi, who for the third year running has been voted World Player of the year & Pique,Xavi,Ineista and Puyol European and World Cup & Club Champions of Spain.
To see the full series of images visit : www.diveraguilar.com
Lionel Messi has won the Fifa Ballon d’Or prize for the best player of 2011, becoming only the fourth player in history to win the trophy three times.
The Argentine forward, 24, beat Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona team-mate Xavi to the prize.
“I think [Messi] is going to break all the records that exist,” said Xavi.
Messi, who previously won the prestigious accolade in 2009 and 2010, was man of the match in Barca’s 2011 Champions League final victory over Manchester United and also won the Primera Division, Spanish Supercopa, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup last year.
Dutchmen Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten, plus Frenchman Michael Platini, are the others to have won the award on three occasions.
And Messi joined them after gaining 47.88% of votes in the survey among national team coaches, captains and selected media, with Ronaldo taking 21.6% and Xavi 9.23%.
“It’s a great personal pleasure for me,” said Messi.
“It’s the third time I’ve won it. It’s just an amazing honour. I want to thank everyone that’s been involved with me - my team-mates, trainers, physios, the coach and everyone at Barcelona.
“I’d also like to thank the Argentina national team as well.”
Messi’s Barcelona team-mate Xavi paid tribute to the winner: “He’s still young, only 24. He’s going to be one of the best footballers in the history of the sport.”
Image: Diver & Aguilar © 2011.
Barcelona win Fifa Club World Cup
Barcelona were crowned Fifa Club World Cup winners when they thrashed Brazilian side Santos 4-0 in Japan.
The win capped a remarkable year for the Spanish side in which they also won the La Liga title, the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup.
Argentine Lionel Messi scored two impressive goals with Xavi and former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas also on target for Barcelona.
The win confirms Barcelona’s standing as the best club team in the world.
Diver & Aguilar, continue their 5 year relationship with the club this year producing the new Posters and marketing material for the club & sponsors for 2012. Previewed here are some of the new campaign and documentary images shot this season.
The Magnum Ice Cream Temptation “ART” Campaign shot with agency Lola-Madrid has been chosen as a GOLD award winner by the EPICA jury europe’s leading Advertising awards.
Agency (city): Lola Madrid
Creative Director(s): Pablo Monzón
Copywriter(s): Pablo Monzón/Martín Feijóo
Art Director(s): Gustavo Marioni/ Esteban Franco
Photographer(s): Mike Diver/Pedro Aguilar
Executive Producer : Agustín González