Lionel Messi Beats Cristiano Ronaldo, 8 Others to Win Player of the Decade
- Lionel Messi has been voted as the best player of the decade by the International Federation of Football History
- The Argentine superstar beat Cristiano Ronaldo and a few others to win the prize
- No current Premier League player was shortlisted among the top 10 best players in the last 10 years
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Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has been crowned the world's best player of the decade between 2011 and 2020 by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
The 33-year-old beat his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo who came second on the list and eight other superstars to win the prestigious award.
Other big names on the 10 man shortlist are Andres Iniesta, Neymar, and Sergio Ramos but they didn't do well enough to earn the gong.
The international organisation tasked its members across 150 countries to vote for the player deserving of the status, and it was the Argentine who fit the bill after the polls.
Source: Getty Images
Gianluigi Buffon and Zlatan Ibrahimovic also made the cut but came in as the eighth and ninth-best in the world in the last decade.
Full list of the top 10 best players of the last decade by the IFFHS
- Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- Andres Iniesta (Spain)
- Neymar (Brazil)
- Sergio Ramos (Spain)
- Manuel Neuer (Germany)
- Robert Lewandowski (Poland)
- Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden)
- Luka Modric (Croatia)
Meanwhile, Cristiano didn't go empty-handed as he won the award for the UEFA region, and Messi who triumphed globally - clinched CONMEBOL nations.
The 33-year-old hasn't had a bad last ten years, picking up six La Liga titles, five Copa del Rey trophies, two Champions Leagues, and four Ballon d'Ors.
Despite struggling under the new manager Ronald Koeman this season, Messi has already scored 12 goals and two assists in 18 La Liga games, and three goals and two assists in four Champions League fixtures.
Though there are a few notable names missing on the list like Frank Ribery, Xavi, Luis Suarez and a few others, however, the list cannot be perfect as the positions were voted for by a wide range of experts.
Briefly.co.za earlier reported that Cristiano Ronaldo clocked 36 and his bae Georgina sent him tons of love. Cristiano Ronaldo clocks 36 on Friday, February 5 and the world has continued to send heartwarming messages to the multiple Ballon d’Or winner across all possible platforms.
His girlfriend Georgina has taken to her Instagram handle to celebrate the Juventus striker sharing a picture of both of them relaxing in the snow. In her message, the beautiful Spanish model thanked the Portuguese for contributing so much into her life and that of his loved ones.
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Source: Briefly News
Kelly Lippke (Senior Editor) Kelly Lippke is a copy editor/proofreader who started her career at the Northern-Natal Courier with a BA in Communication Science/Psychology (Unisa, 2007). Kelly has worked for several Caxton publications, including the Highway Mail and Northglen News. Kelly’s unique editing perspective stems from an additional major in Linguistics. Kelly joined Briefly News in 2018 and she has 14 years of experience. Kelly has also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. You can reach her at kelly.lippke@briefly.co.za.
Thando Mpembe Thando Mpembe is a sports journalist who has a passion for all things entertainment. In her spare time, Thando enjoys reading and spending time with family. She is an advocate for mental health and believes that a healthy body starts with a healthy mind. Thando holds an Honours Degree in Journalism from the University of Johannesburg. Her favourite quote is "Gentle reminder - you are not for everyone and that is a blessing". Email: thando.mpembe@briefly.co.za
