Fans swoon over moment Messi calls wife back for a picture at the Ballon d'Or

Fans of Lionel Messi have heaped praise on the Paris Saint-Germain striker for his 'heartwarming' actions in an endearing moment alongside his wife Antonella at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony.

Messi was on the red carpet with his wife and three children when an organiser appeared to gesture Antonella to step away so Messi could be photographed alone with his sons.

But Messi was captured on film looking immediately quizzical over the idea, before signalling that he wanted Antonella back alongside him for the pictures.

'This is just beautiful,' wrote one fan in response to the clip going viral on social media. 'Here's a man who understands that family is everything.'

Another said: 'This is seriously heartwarming, other than his footballing qualities these are the things which make us love messi soo much.'

A different tweet said: 'Messi is a great guy. A husband first before King of Football.'

Messi won an unprecedented seventh Ballon d'Or on Monday night, edging Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski by 33 votes.

But Messi was gracious in victory and paid tribute to Lewandowski's success in his acceptance speech.

'Robert, you deserve your Ballon d’Or,' Messi said. 'Last year, everyone was in agreement to say that you were the big winner of this award.

'Hopefully France Football will give you the 2020 Ballon d’Or. We all believe you deserved it and I hope you can have it at home.'