Most Valuable XI of 2017 

Right Wing: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Lionel Messi - carrying the hopes of both Barcelona and Argentina

Lionel Messi may have let a 4-1 lead in the Ballon d'Or race slip as Cristiano Ronaldo made it 5-5 recently but he remains a player who continues to push himself to deliver when required.

MSN became a thing of the past following Neymar's departure and Luis Suarez's drop in form this season. It saw the burden fall on the Argentine's shoulders and he has carried his team to the top of the table in both La Liga and the Champions League this season.

Off the pitch, a storm was brewing at the Camp Nou regarding his contract extension. With a deal that was set to expire next summer, Messi would have been free to sign a pre-contract with another club in January.

However, Neymar's departure freed up the money required to pay his astronomical wages which amount to nearly €100,000 a day after you count his salary, image rights, signing-on bonus.

It allows the club to keep him at least until 2021 unless another club opts to pay the release clause like they did for Neymar. But the club have learned their lesson and increased Messi's release clause to €700m even though his market value is "only" €120m.

He took a beleaguered Argentina to the World Cup too in 2017. Whether they can repay him with a trophy this time after failing in 2014 remains to be seen.