'%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)
#2 Won FIFA The Best Award
After losing out on UEFA Player of the year award to van Dijk, Messi won FIFA The Best Award for being the footballer of the year. The Argentine pipped his rivals Cristiano Ronaldo and van Dijk after garnering 46 rank points.
Despite failing to win the UEFA Champions League and the Copa America, Messi's personal heroics with Barcelona were enough to seal the victory in his favour.
Messi's numbers throughout the season were excellent. The Argentine produced an unreal season even by his own standards. This year has been one of the best for the 32-year-old since the record-breaking 2012 wherein he scored 91 goals in a calendar year.
Messi's personal achievements in the previous season include winning UEFA Forward of the Year and the Golden Boot. And on a collective level, Messi won the La Liga. All of this combined made his case stronger for FIFA The Best Award against his competitors by a close margin.
