French defender Eric Abidal feels his Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi can go on to win his third consecutive Ballon d'Or award in 2011. Messi first won the trophy in 2009 before lifting the prestigious individual award again last year, after the Ballon d'Or merged with Fifa World Player of the Year to become the Fifa Ballon d'Or. The 23-year-old has struck 53 goals in 55 appearances this season as Barca clinched La Liga and the Champions League, and Abidal told Telefoot he feels that the diminutive attacker is in line to collect the crown once again. "I have a very good feeling about Lionel. Two seasons ago, I told him that he was able to win the Ballon d'Or three times in a row. The truth is that he is very close to doing just that. I am delighted for him that he is the best player of the world." The versatile stopper, who triumphantly recovered from an operation to remove a tumour on his liver in March to take part in the Champions League final, then went on to discuss his personal future and made it clear that he is keen to stay at his current club. "It is my goal to finish my career at Barcelona. I still have a contract for one more year and the club wants to renew my deal. I am pretty confident that we will be able to reach an agreement." The 31-year-old has made over 100 appearances for the Catalans since joining them from Lyon in the summer of 2007. Source: Goal.com