'Red hot' Lionel Messi outdresses Cristiano Ronaldo at FIFA Ballon d'Or ceremony

Lionel Messi may not have won the FIFA Ballon d'Or this year after receiving it an unprecedented four times. The Barcelona striker though still managed to stand out from the rest and could have won the prize for the shiniest tuxedo on stage, if there ever was one.

While every player and official on stage opted to don the 'mundane' blue or black suits, Messi chose to go for a bright red tuxedo. Although it was different, many fans thought it also hurt their eyes. "Barcelona's away jersey has some new competition. #Messyinred! Haha," wrote a fan on micro-blogging website Twitter. (Also read: Emotional Ronaldo wins best footballer award | Awards ceremony in pics)

Interestingly, FIFA president Sepp Blatter had previously said he preferred Messi to Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo because the Barcelona player was 'modest'.  On Tuesday night in Zurich though, there was nothing modest about a flashy Messi, who walked in with his girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo. "Who is that with Ron Burgundy? Wait a min, who'se that with Antonella?" asked a fan on Twitter. While Burgandy is an American actor who has recently worn only red tuxedos to promote his film, Messi's fashion statement may well just be a one-off thing before he returns to Barca colours and plans to snatch back the Ballon d'Or from Ronaldo.