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Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi and his Juventus contemporary Cristiano Ronaldo have both made it into the annual list of top 100 footballers by ESPN.
The FC 100 is an annual list by the sports media house, which was first created in 2016. It ranks the 10 best players in 10 different roles, including nine playing positions and manager.
The list was compiled by 65 ESPN experts from around the world who were given a slate of 250 nominees to vote for. A formation of 4-3-3 was chosen, and each expert was asked to vote for their top 10 in each position and top 10 managers.
Barcelona was well represented on the list, as apart from Lionel Messi, four of his teammates, including Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Sergino Dest, Jordi Alba, and Frenkie de Jong, were also included.
Cristiano Ronaldo was joined by Juventus teammates Mattijs de Ligt, Alex Sandro, and Paulo Dybala, who finished eighth, fourth, and eighth in the central defender, left-back, and forward position, respectively.
Liverpool and Bayern Munich were the most dominant sides and had their players in the top spot in all but two of the positions. Lionel Messi (forward) and Kevin De Bruyne (attacking midfield) were the only positions that did not go to a Liverpool or Bayern Munich player.
Lionel Messi in top spot for forwards, Cristiano Ronaldo finishes third
Lionel Messi retained his crown as the best forward in the ESPN FC 100, having finished in a similar position in 2019. However, Cristiano Ronaldo could only manage third place, dropping one spot below his second-place finish last year.
Elsewhere, Kevin De Bruyne finished first for attacking midfielders, following his breathtaking campaign last season. On the other hand, Robert Lewandowski was the runaway favorite for the top spot in the striker's category.
Liverpool winger Sadio Mane finished one spot higher from his 2019 position to secure the top spot for wingers. However, Eden Hazard's ninth-place ranking is sure to rankle, considering his injury-ravaged debut season at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The incredibly versatile Josua Kimmich finished top of the central midfield pile, which is a remarkable achievement, considering that he functioned exclusively as a right-back a few years ago.
Liverpool had a clean sweep of defensive positions, with Virgil van Dijk finishing on top of the list for central defenders. The Reds' full-back combination of Andrew Robertson and Trent-Alexander Arnold held sway in their respective positions.
Manuel Neuer occupied the top spot for goalkeepers after a renaissance season that saw him captain Bayern Munich to the treble. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp retained his position as the number one coach in the world.
Lionel Messi has always gotten the better of Cristiano Ronaldo in this award, having finished top of the forward category in all five editions to date.
The two men have defined their generation with their extraordinary displays and are each regarded among the best players in the history of the game.
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo would have a chance to write another chapter in their iconic rivalry when Barcelona host Juventus in the Champions League next week.
