Messi dismisses detractors

Barcelona striker Lionel Messi dismissed media criticism of his second successive World Player of the Year award, in an interview published Wednesday.
"The truth is I don't care what the media say. What matters to me is what my teammates say, the people who are with me. I thank them for their support," the Argentine said in an interview with sports news site goal.com.
Two days after winning the Ballon d'Or, Messi hit a hattrick in Barcelona's 5-0 rout of Real Betis.

- Afp