Lionel Messi. (File photo)
MOSCOW – Argentine forward and superstar Lionel Messi has been named as the century's best footballer, according to FourFourTwo web portal.
On Tuesday, respected football magazine FourFourTwo published its rankings of the 100 best players since 2000 and placed 37-year-old Messi on top of the list.
Messi is followed by Portuguese striker Cristiano Ronaldo in second place.
Spanish midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi ranked third and fourth, respectively, and Brazil’s attacking midfielder Ronaldinho placed fifth.
Earlier this year, Messi parted ways with the storied French football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after signing with them as a free agent in the summer of 2021. He racked up 32 goals and 35 assists in 74 matches for the French club, twice winning the French football championship as well as one French Super Cup.
Before joining PSG, Messi played for Barcelona FC from 2003 and 2021.
The Argentine striker won a club-record 34 trophies, including 10 La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and the UEFA Champions League four times.
Messi is the captain of the Argentine national football team and has 102 goals and 56 assists in 174 matches on the international stage. He is the winner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 2021 Copa America, and a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The legendary striker owns a record eight Ballon d'Or awards and a record six European Golden Shoes. (TASS)
