10 best forwards in world football at the moment

#2 Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is getting better and better...

Club: Barcelona

Games played: 15

Goals: 15

Minutes played: 1,350

Shots per 90 mins: 6.2

Goals per 90 mins: 1

Goals per Shot average: 0.16

After being returned to his favourite false-nine position by Ernesto Valverde, Lionel Messi has once again upped his game - in a way few would have thought possible... especially considering the incredible individual season he had last time around... but then Leo Messi has never obeyed the laws of mortal expectation.

His free-scoring self has been unleashed with the freedom that Valverde has given him and at times it feels like he drives on Barcelona all by his lonesome... not that this is a new thing: after all, Messi has been directly involved in 45,1% of all Barça goals over the past 10 years.

The only reason we haven't given him the no.1 spot - apart from the phenomenal form of the man who occupies it - is that he has been a touch wasteful in front of goal... his conversion rate of 16% only good enough to better Ronaldo on the list (he has 9%).

It's just nitpicking, though. What a player that man is. Phew.