Messi Named World Player Of The Year In World Soccer Awards
Lionel Messi is World Soccer’s World Player of the Year for 2019, edging out Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk in one of the closest contests of recent times.
It is Messi’s fifth World Soccer award – after victories in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015 – equalling the achievement of his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi’s astonishing form for Spanish title-winners Barcelona gave him the edge over the Champions League-winning Liverpool and Holland defender in a poll of journalists and pundits from around the world.
Messi won a 10th Liga title with Barca in May, but they were surprisingly beaten by Valencia in the Final of the Copa del Rey. And despite a wonderful performance from the Argentinian against Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals, they were beaten by an incredible comeback from Van Dijk and his team-mates in the return leg at Anfield.
In the summer’s Copa America, Messi’s Argentina lost to hosts Brazil in the semi-finals and suffered from some questionable refereeing in the third-place play-off against Chile, when Messi was controversially sent off.
In addition to his stellar displays in Liverpool’s Champions League success, Van Dijk was a standout performer for Holland as they reached the Final of the inaugural UEFA Nations League.
Liverpool players featured heavily in the poll, with votes also cast for Sadio Mane (3rd place), Mohamed Salah (6th), Allison Becker (7th), Roberto Firmino (17th) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (19th). In contrast, Frenkie De Jong (8th), who joined from Ajax in the summer, was the only other Barcelona player to feature in the top 20.
Last year’s winner of the World Player award, Luka Modric, finished 44th this time, while Cristiano Ronaldo – a winner in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 – finished in fourth place, ahead of Kylian Mbappe, the French youngster who has eclipsed Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain.
The spectacular form of Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski in the second half of 2019 was recognised with his ninth-place finish, while Eden Hazard’s role in Chelsea’s Europa League triumph over Arsenal was acknowledged by votes that put him in joint 10th place.
Raheem Sterling, also in joint 10th, was the highest-placed Manchester City player, a recognition of his sparkling form in the Premier League but also of his increasing importance to England.
A number of women featured, the highest being American World Cup star Megan Rapinoe in 21st place, with USA team-mate Rose Lavelle 27th.
The nationalities were spread around, with nine different countries represented in the top 10. England and Holland were the leading nationalities, with three each in the top 20: Sterling, Harry Kane and Alexander-Arnold for England; Van Dijk, De Jong and Matthijs De Ligt for Holland. They were ahead of, with two each, Argentina (Messi and Sergio Aguero), Portugal (Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva), Brazil (Roberto Firmino and Alisson) and Belgium (Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne).
Jurgen Klopp was the undisputed winner of the Manager award with the highest-ever percentage of votes, in acknowledgement of steering Liverpool to a sixth European Cup triumph.
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Similarly, Liverpool were the overwhelming winners of the World Team award, with votes also cast for Ajax, Manchester City and USA’s World Cup-winning women’s national side.