'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It is never a funny experience for a big player to be snubbed on prestigious grounds. To be sincere, it must be a very difficult 2018 for Barcelona and Argentine maestro, Lionel Messi, who has been denied recognition during major awards one after the other during the year.
First, it was the UEFA awards which he lost to Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, followed by the FIFA Best Awards that was won by the same player, before the Croatian came back to make it a hat-trick with his Ballon d'Or triumph recently.
What is most embarrassing is that Messi failed to make the final 3-man cut in each of the aforementioned awards - rendering the 5-time Ballon d'Or winner desperate to prove himself once again and reclaim his status as the best player on the planet.
Although it will be an enormous task for Messi to regain his dominance on top of the game, considering the level of competition and the recent developments in the sport. However, the Argentine is well-placed to rule the football world once again, and below are 4 reasons why he will do so this season.
#4 Determination
Lionel Messi is not one of those players that often come out during interviews to tell us how determined they are to progress in their respective careers each season, but the Argentine always does all the talking with his scintillating displays right there on the pitch, and he has done that several times during the current campaign.
Barcelona have not been very consistent with their performances this term, yet Lionel Messi has ensured that they have secured their passage into the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League, as well as establishing the Catalans on top of the LaLiga table after 14 matches.
The Argentine has been a difference maker for the LaLiga champions in a couple of big games this season, evidently firing his side to victory against Tottenham Hotspur during their Champions League encounter, and he has been saving the Blaugrana's blushes when they fail to impress just as we saw against PSV Eindhoven recently as well as a number of LaLiga fixtures.
Such incredible efforts are evident displays of his solid determination to conquer the football world during the campaign.
#3 Brilliant form
When it comes to rating the top in-form performers on the planet right now, only a very few superstars can compare with the incredible exploits of Lionel Messi. The Argentine has been in explosive form since the beginning of the term, putting up a series of incredible displays and firing his team in front of goal efficiently.
With an amazing 9 goals and 7 assists to his name in 12 appearances, Messi is currently one of the top scorers in LaLiga right now. The playmaker has also been unstoppable in the UEFA Champions League, sitting on top of the goal scoring chart with a whopping 6 goals and 1 assist to his name in just 3 appearances in the European tournament.
With such unbelievable form and a scintillating start to the season, the Argentine playmaker is currently on the right track to reclaim his status as the world's finest footballer during the campaign.
All stats via transfermarkt
#2 Barcelona's midfield is strong again
Another factor that will boost Lionel Messi in his mission to conquer the football world once again this season is the revival FC Barcelona have achieved in their midfield.
By virtue of their incredible exploits in the transfer window this summer, Barcelona currently have one of the most impressive midfield setups in Europe, with the likes of Arthur Melo, Arturo Vidal, and Carles Alena settling into the team rapidly, while Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic have found their rhythm in the middle of the pitch.
With this revival, Lionel Messi has spent more time forward, and he doesn't drop very deep often like he used to. While this has slightly improved his goal tally, more improvements are expected to come as the season progresses, and that will definitely be a huge boost to his ambition to rule the world again, as it will allow him focus on creating magical moments, scoring more goals, and leading the team to important victories.
#1 Incredible supporting cast
On his day, Lionel Messi is capable of tearing down any team single handedly with his incredible talent, and his ability to decide the fate of games in the blink of an eye is quite unquestionable.
However, even gods need mortals - according to a popular saying. As enormously talented as the Argentine is, there are certain games in which he could have an off day or find it difficult to do it alone, and he would need the support of his teammates to push the team forward, but that shouldn't be a problem this season, considering the quality Barcelona currently possess.
La Blaugrana have some of the most gifted players in Europe at the moment, and they are capable of deciding the fate of games with their amazing talents.
In the likes of Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele, Malcom, and Arthur Melo, Lionel Messi has an incredible supporting cast that will help him establish himself as the best player on the planet once again.
