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#1 Lionel Messi
Rank in 2016: 2
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For The Guardian, Lionel Messi has been the best footballer of 2017. The Argentine demigod wrestled back the top spot from his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo after he was ranked 2nd in 2016. He was voted as the top player by 72 voters in the poll that decided this list.
Lionel Messi was at his imperious best as usual, topping the La Liga and Copa Del Rey charts for goals and assists.
Apart from his abundance of goals, Messi deserves praise for his contribution to Argentina in the World Cup qualifying campaign. His treble against Ecuador saw Argentina book a berth for the World Cup in Russia. Frankly speaking, if it wasn't for him, Argentina stood no chance for qualification.
The upcoming World Cup is probably the last chance for Messi to lift the golden trophy, the only award that has eluded him in his career. A victory in the competition will no doubt silence his critics and justify his claim as the greatest footballer of all time.
