Messi Is Named the Greatest Football Player of the 21st Century

While esports fans have been discussing League of Legends 2019 World Championship, the British newspaper The Independent published their rating of 100 greatest football players of the 21st century. The first place was awarded to Lionel Messi, the captain of the Spanish club Barcelona.

Rating’s Criteria

The British newspaper polled its 10 football writers to name 50 strongest players who performed in the last two decades. While assigning points to players, the writers considered several factors, including a player’s ability and the actual application of that ability, the level they reached and their influence on the competitive scene.

Who Else Is in Top 5

The second place in the rating was awarded to Cristiano Ronaldo, who for the last few years has been a regular rival to Messi. The Spanish player Xavi was placed third. Notably, the athlete has ended his professional career this year and transitioned to the coach position. The writers of The Independent decided to place Ronaldinho fourth. The Brazilian player is no longer active – he ended his career in 2018. The Spanish player Andrés Iniesta, who is currently playing for Japanese club Vissel Kobe, was assigned to the fifth place.

Countries’ Representation

The rating published by The Independent includes players from 25 countries from 3 continents. Spain is the clear leader of the rating, as 14 athletes from the country are on the list. Great Britain, Brazil, France and Netherlands are represented by 9 players each.

Other Accomplishments of Messi

Lionel Messi has recently received several awards. Last month the player won FIFA award for best men’s player. This year he also received the Golden Shoe award, becoming the leading goalscorer of the European region.