Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona, as indicated by his achievements with both teams.

Lionel Messi is considered the number one football player in the world due to his outstanding career achievements, including numerous awards and titles, and his consistent performance over 15 years.

Lionel Messi is currently 35 years old.

Lionel Messi has won 8 Golden Ball awards.

Lionel Messi has won 8 Ballon d'Or awards, making him one of the most decorated football players in the world.

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or award seven times.

Lionel Messi is a highly successful football player who has won multiple titles with his clubs and country, including La Liga and the World Cup.

Lionel Messi won the Copa América with Argentina, a major trophy in South American football.

Lionel Messi has played for Barcelona.

Lionel Messi won four Champions League titles with Barcelona.

Lionel Messi has won four Champions Leagues.

Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest fútbolista of all time due to his impressive career achievements and exceptional skills.

Lionel Messi has consistently delivered outstanding performances throughout his career, earning numerous awards and breaking records, making him widely considered the number one football player in the world.

Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest soccer player of all time, with a plethora of awards and accolades, including four Champions Leagues and a record seven Ballon D’Or trophies, cementing his position as one of the all-time greats.

Lionel Messi has achieved success at both the club and international levels, winning numerous titles and awards, including four Champions Leagues, 11 domestic league titles, and a record seven Ballon D’Or trophies, as well as a Copa América title with Argentina.

Lionel Messi is widely regarded by many fans and experts as one of the greatest football players of all time, known for his exceptional technical skills and numerous record-breaking achievements.

Lionel Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain after leaving Barcelona, as indicated by his achievements with both teams.

Title:

Content: Lionel Messi, Argentina

The number one player on this list is obvious: the world’s biggest star, the game’s best talent for over 15 years now, and top three among the all-time greats. Messi’s dazzling skill for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain has earned four Champions Leagues, 11 domestic league titles across Spain and France, and a record seven Ballon D’Or trophies — soccer’s most famous player of the year award.

Last year, he finally lifted silverware with Argentina, delivering the country’s record-tying 15th Copa América. It was the nation’s first continental crown since 1993, and Messi was runner-up in 2007, 2015 and 2016. The last two came after a runner-up finish at the 2014 World Cup.

At age 35, Messi doesn’t have the speed he used to, but he has as much skill and guile as ever. And he has a stacked squad of Argentina teammates that complement him and bring their own firepower: Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Ángel Di María (Juventus), Rodrigo De Paul (Atlético Madrid), and a crown-jewel young prospect in Julián Álvarez (Manchester City).

They’re fired up, they’re hungry, and they’re on a 35-game winning streak dating back to 2019. If Argentina win it all, the triumph will be celebrated across the globe, and Messi will be enshrined above Pelé and Diego Maradona as the greatest of all time.

» READ MORE: Lionel Messi's Argentina beat Andre Blake's Jamaica in a World Cup warmup game

Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

He’s Messi’s longtime foil, among fans worldwide and for years in Spain. When Ronaldo was at Real Madrid and Messi was at Barcelona, the world stopped for two hours.

The debate was also fueled by their national team feats. Ronaldo has five European Cups to Messi’s four, and for five years he had the national team trophy that Messi didn’t: the 2016 European Championship.

As with any great sports rivalry, fans of one of the players often disdain the other. But Ronaldo, it must be said, is rather more disdainable. Yes, he’s got an outrageous career goals total, with 701 club goals in 949 games and 117 national team goals in 191 caps. And he’s got a body that seems to have been sculpted by the Greek gods, not just the soccer gods.

He’s also got an ego to match, and it rubs a lot of people the wrong way. He isn’t afraid to throw a public tantrum, as he did just a few days ago about his lack of playing time at Manchester United. And he stood accused for over a decade of committing a rape in 2009 in Las Vegas. A lawsuit about it was dismissed this past June.

Ronaldo is 37 now. This will be his last World Cup. Will he go out with a swan song, or with another combustion?

» READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo played against the Union with Real Madrid in 2011

Kylian Mbappé, France

France’s 2018 World Cup title launched a then-19-year-old Mbappé to superstardom. He’s still there, as the flagship player for his country and its biggest club, Paris Saint-Germain. In fact, he’s such a big deal that French president Emmanuel Macron reportedly asked Mbappé to turn down a move to Real Madrid this summer.

We’ll never know if it truly helped, because PSG -- which is owned by Qatari royals -- had the money to keep Mbappé. The club also gave Mbappé a lot of power off the field, and he has used it to build his business interests.

Now comes a new challenge: lifting his country to a second straight World Cup. There hasn’t been a repeat men’s champion since Pelé's Brazil in 1958 and 1962. France has the talent to do it, but also has locker-room friction that Mbappé has been part of. And history brings an omen: Les Bleus crashed out in 2002 after winning it all in 1998.

Sadio Mané, Senegal

Only three African teams in men’s World Cup history have reached the quarterfinals: Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010. This year’s Senegal squad has the talent to match them, and potentially go a step farther.

Nine months after winning the Africa Cup of Nations, the Lions of Teranga arrive in Qatar full of talent and optimism. Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy and centerback Kalidou Koulibaly are defensive rocks, while Bayern Munich’s Mané leads the attack.

Mané suffered a right fibula injury playing for Bayern on Nov. 8. He was named to the World Cup team, but he’s racing the clock to be fit. Whether he makes it is one of the tournament’s biggest on-field questions this week.

Bukayo Saka, England

England has its best chance in decades to win its first World Cup since 1966, and Saka is a big reason why. The 21-year-old from London is an electric winger for the Three Lions and Arsenal, and has one of both teams’ most engaging personalities.

Gavi, Spain

Just 18 years old, the Barcelona midfielder has jumped up the line of the world’s top young prospects. This year, he won two of Europe’s top awards for players under age 21: France Football’s Kopa Trophy (the same publication runs the Ballon D’Or), and the Golden Boy trophy organized by newspapers across the continent.

Gavi is already a regular player for his club and has 12 senior Spain caps. This World Cup could be his global breakout.

Jamal Musiala, Germany

Another of this World Cup’s big-time youngsters will face Gavi in the group stage. Musiala, 19, has rocketed to prominence with Bayern Munich and Germany this year. In just the half-season so far with Bayern, he has 12 goals and 10 assists in 22 games.

Not much is expected in Qatar of a German squad whose mix of ages isn’t quite right. But if Musiala takes off, he could take Die Mannschaft on a big run.

Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium

If you watch the English Premier League, you know that De Bruyne is the midfield maestro for powerhouse Manchester City. There are few more technically-gifted players on the planet, especially in his part of the field.

Four years ago, he helped the Red Devils to fourth place, the nation’s best World Cup finish. This year’s team has lots of talent, but De Bruyne is one of 11 players among the squad of 26 who’s age 30 or older. That’s a warning sign that a repeat run might not happen.

Vinícius Jr.

We’ve saved the best national team for last, or at least the world’s most famous one. No team has more World Cups than Brazil’s five, and the Seleçao are a big betting favorite to make it six this year. They have immense talent at every position, from defense up to the front line.

If you were expecting to see Neymar’s name here, that’s understandable. He’s Brazil’s biggest star of all, But Vinícius is a player you want to know about. He’s been ticketed for stardom since his childhood days in Rio de Janeiro, and he has lived up to the hype at Real Madrid.

Now age 22, he has 10 goals and 5 assists in 22 games this season, after scoring the winner in last season’s Champions League final. Many of his plays have gone straight onto highlight reels, accompanied by great dancing celebrations.

Lionel Messi is considered the number one football player in the world due to his outstanding career achievements, including numerous awards and titles, and his consistent performance over 15 years.

Lionel Messi is currently 35 years old.

Lionel Messi has won 8 Golden Ball awards.

Title:

Content: Ronaldo or Messi?
Who is considered the best player of all time?
In the sphere of football there is a split, comparable to the internecine war of medieval kingdoms.
Two names, two flags, two irreconcilable camps - fans of Ronaldo and Messi.
Like ancient titans, they fight for the title of the best player of all time, forcing millions of people to argue for hours who has the best shot and dribbling the best.
On this occasion, even a special bet on football has appeared, analytical studies are conducted and expert articles are published on Wikipedia.
But let ’ s leave biased sympathies outside the door and try to figure out who really is the king of sports No1?
So, get ready to dive into the world of statistics, records, hate matches and, of course, football magic.
A bit of statistics
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are rightly considered not only the greatest players of their generation.
They claim to be the best athletes of all time.
Without them, football betting in Parimatch would not be so emotional and tournaments so spectacular.
Leo and Krish have fantastic achievements behind them:
1.
13 Golden balls: 8 for Messi, 5 for Ronaldo.
2.
They regularly cross the mark of 50 goals during the season.
3.
More than 700 goals were scored in the opponent ’ s goal.
Fans, experts and journalists do not get tired of comparing these football titans.
They carefully weigh their achievements, playability and even personal traits.
Today, some people idolize Ronaldo for his superhero form, unattainable speed and leadership qualities.
Others worship Messi, admiring the Argentinian ’ s filigree technique, tactical genius and extreme dexterity.
Sports media doesn ’ t miss a chance to speak up either.
Spanish Marca, for example, awarded a gold medal to Ronaldo, noting his inhuman form, ability to race like a bullet and talent to light a fire in the hearts of the team.
But the Italian La Gazzetta dello Sport gave preference to Messi, praising his magical technique, skill to see the game a few moves ahead and almost supernatural dexterity.
Summing up the results
Messi or Ronaldo?
This question, like an apple of discord, excites the minds of millions, and the answer to it seems to be lost somewhere between the stars.
Fans fiercely defend their idols, with foam at the mouth proving their honor.
But let us approach this issue from the other side.
Imagine that Messi and Ronaldo are two different varieties of ice cream.
1.
Ronaldo is strawberry.
Bright, juicy, with a rich taste, it immediately attracts attention.
He is loved for expressiveness, athleticism and great extravaganza.
2.
Messi is vanilla ice cream.
Not so catchy in appearance, but with a deep, multifaceted taste that unfolds over time.
He is appreciated for his filigree technique, brilliant transmissions and team play.
Which ice cream is better?
The answer is simple: there are no comrades for taste and color!
Tell us your news:
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Lionel Messi has won 8 Ballon d'Or awards, making him one of the most decorated football players in the world.

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or award seven times.

Lionel Messi is a highly successful football player who has won multiple titles with his clubs and country, including La Liga and the World Cup.

Title:

Content: Highlights

  • The 2010s showcased legendary talent like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, shaping football history for decades to come.
  • 10 of the best players from this era have been ranked based on factors such as skill, impact, and honours earned.
  • Manuel Neuer, Sergio Ramos and Neymar are among the players who shaped a golden decade of football.

The 2010s were an era blessed with unbelievable footballing talent, with many labelling some of the players throughout this era as some of the best to ever play the game. From the greatness of Lionel Messi to the innovation of Manuel Neuer, those 10 years truly had it all.

Picking out the 10 best players to have featured in this period is extremely difficult as there are so many players who are easily ‘world-class’ quality, but a few stand out above the rest. The below list includes the very best that the 2010-2020 decade had to offer in world football. To come to the conclusion of where each football ranks among their peers, the following ranking factors have been considered.

Ranking Factors

  • The ability of each player
  • Impact during the 2010-2020 decade
  • Individual and team honours won throughout the 10 years

10 Greatest Footballers of the 2010s [Ranked]

Rank

Player

Club(s)

1.

Lionel Messi

Barcelona

2.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid, Juventus

3.

Andres Iniesta

Barcelona, Vissel Kobe

4.

Luka Modric

Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid

5.

Xavi

Barcelona, Al Sadd

6.

Luis Suarez

Liverpool, Barcelona

7.

Gareth Bale

Tottenham, Real Madrid

8.

Neymar Jr

Santos, Barcelona, PSG

9.

Sergio Ramos

Real Madrid

10.

Manuel Neuer

Schalke, Bayern Munich

10 Manuel Neuer

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Bayern Munich

It is rare on a ‘top-ten’ list that you see a goalkeeper due to outfield players typically getting all the praise. However, Manuel Neuer revolutionised the position. With over 500 games for Bayern Munich and 100 for Germany, he has had a legendary career in Germany spanning across 20 years.

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50 Best Goalkeepers of All Time Ranked From ‘Safe Hands’ to ‘Greatest Ever’
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Despite being 39 years old, Neuer is still one of the best players in the world, which proves exactly why he is one of the best players of this era. The German shot-stopper won practically everything any player could ever want, including the World Cup in 2014. Neuer is more than deserving of a spot on this list.

Manuel Neuer 2010s Stats

Team

Appearances

Clean Sheets

Bayern Munich

440

216

9 Sergio Ramos

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Real Madrid

Another player who suffers in the same situation as Neuer in terms of being underappreciated is Sergio Ramos. The Spaniard is not only one of the best defenders of the 2010s era but in football history.

Featuring in the UEFA Team of the Year nine times and winning multiple domestic titles in both Spain and France, Ramos possesses an honours list longer than most players could ever dream of. He is no doubt an icon of the game, being an inspiration to so many defenders throughout their careers. The fact he is only ninth on this list shows exactly how good this era of footballers was.

Sergio Ramos' 2010s Stats

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Real Madrid

393

69

24

8 Neymar Jr

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Santos, Barcelona, PSG

This list can seem extremely harsh as Neymar is often considered one of the best players of this century, let alone the 2010s decade. However, the sheer talent of his peers finds him at eighth. The Brazilian was part of arguably the greatest strike force of all time at Barcelona during this era, dominating football across Spain and Europe during that time.

3:23
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Ronaldo, Pele, Ronaldinho, Neymar and Kaka all feature as 18 the greatest Brazilian players ever are ranked.

He is also the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil, surpassing the legendary Pele in 2022. Moving to PSG saw even more success for Neymar, winning the Ligue 1 title almost every season he was at the club. All his success saw him establish himself as one of the best in the 2010s.

Neymar Jr's 2010s Stats

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Santos

90

56

26

Barcelona

186

105

76

PSG

85

70

41

7 Gareth Bale

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Tottenham, Real Madrid

Potentially one of the most underrated players of the 2010s, Gareth Bale burst onto the scene in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur and secured his big move to Real Madrid in 2013, where he spent most of his career. Five Champions League trophies and three La Liga titles later, Bale had nothing short of a stellar career in Spain.

Although some love was lost in Madrid by the end of his career, he guided his national side, Wales, to two European Championships and a World Cup, which helped cement his legacy as a footballing legend.

Gareth Bale's 2010s Stats

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Tottenham Hotspur

161

66

29

Real Madrid

251

105

56

6 Luis Suarez

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Liverpool, Barcelona

One of the best strikers to ever step onto a football pitch, Luis Suarez earned his legacy thanks to a superb career at Barcelona, earning the title of ‘world’s best’ from many former players and managers.

Related
15 Greatest Barcelona Players of All Time [Ranked]
Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona and Ronaldo Nazario all feature among Barcelona's greatest ever players.

With 147 goals in 191 matches for the Spanish side, his goalscoring talent is likened to some of the best strikers of all time, like Ronaldo Nazario. Him winning the Golden Boot in the Eredivisie, Premier League, and La Liga are just small details that back up these comparisons. As far as natural strikers in the 2010s, he tops this list comfortably. However, he falls short of the top positions on the overall list.

Luis Suarez' 2010s Stats

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Liverpool

133

82

29

Barcelona

283

198

96

5 Xavi

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Barcelona, Al Sadd

If this was a list of the best players throughout the 2000s, Xavi could be higher than some of the players above him here. However, his departure from Barcelona in 2015 means that he falls down this ranking slightly.

The fact he still finds himself in the top five while only playing half of the decade shows exactly how good he was. He played 521 times for Barcelona whilst establishing himself as one of the best midfielders ever.

His career performance earned him a place in the Ballon d’Or Dream XI, an all-time football team comprised of the best players ever. A multiple-time La Liga winner and a World Cup Champion, he deservedly earns a spot on this list.

Xavi's 2010s stats

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Barcelona

241

42

58

Al-Sadd

101

24

31

4 Luka Modric

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid

In an era full of some of the best footballers we have ever seen, Luka Modric stood out as one of the best that football had to offer. After earning a move from Tottenham to Real Madrid similar to Bale, the midfielder has been a serial winner almost every season he has played for Los Blancos.

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Though its history remains young, Croatia have already built a reputation for producing some of Europe's most beguiling footballers.

His 25 major trophies in Madrid, including five Champions Leagues, show exactly how good the Croatian is. He also gained the individual praise he deserved from the football world in 2018, as he was awarded the Ballon d'Or award for his tremendous efforts that year. Modric is a generational talent who has become a legend for his club and country.

Luka Modric's 2010s Stats

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Tottenham

84

9

9

Real Madrid

343

22

48

3 Andres Iniesta

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Barcelona, Vissel Kobe

Xavi’s Spanish midfield partner during the golden era of Barcelona, Andres Iniesta, just pipped his ex-teammate to the higher position on this list due to his longevity during the 2010s. Iniesta enjoyed a very similar career to his La Masia counterpart, including scoring one of the most famous goals ever in the 2010 World Cup final to win the tournament for Spain.

His 442 appearances for Barcelona have also seen him win many honours throughout the 2010s. The ‘best of the rest’ in this scenario, Iniesta finishes in a very respectful third place on this list of amazing talent.

Andres Iniesta's 2010s Stats

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Barcelona

363

33

69

Vissel Kobe

75

16

19

2 Cristiano Ronaldo

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Real Madrid, Juventus

Now onto the two best we have ever seen in football. Despite many debates as to who is first and second on this list, Cristiano Ronaldo just falls to second. Five Ballon d’Or awards, five Champions Leagues, seven domestic titles, and a European Championship. What more can be said about the Portuguese phenomenon? With 765 goals in 1020 appearances, he is simply one of the greatest players to grace the sport.

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His incredible work ethic alongside his natural talent has seen him become a true icon of the game and if it wasn’t for arguably the best player of all time, he would certainly be number one on this list.

Cristiano Ronaldo's 2010s Stats

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Real Madrid

403

417

109

Juventus

133

101

20

1 Lionel Messi

Clubs between 2010 and 2020: Barcelona

One of - if not - the greatest of all time. The 2010s provided a player that people in years to come will be devastated they never got to see play in his prime. Lionel Messi could be listed as the most technically gifted footballer ever.

Earning his record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023, Messi’s honours list is quite simply astonishing. He has won everything possible in his career including, 10 La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues, the World Cup and Copa America with Argentina. A player who will leave a legacy in this sport for the rest of time, Messi will go down as the best player ever in the 2010s era.

Lionel Messi's 2010s Stats

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Barcelona

517

507

234

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Statistics in this article are courtesy of Transfermarkt (Accurate as of 31/05/24)

Lionel Messi won the Copa América with Argentina, a major trophy in South American football.

Lionel Messi has played for Barcelona.

Lionel Messi won four Champions League titles with Barcelona.

Lionel Messi has won four Champions Leagues.

Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest fútbolista of all time due to his impressive career achievements and exceptional skills.

Lionel Messi has consistently delivered outstanding performances throughout his career, earning numerous awards and breaking records, making him widely considered the number one football player in the world.

Lionel Messi is widely regarded as the greatest soccer player of all time, with a plethora of awards and accolades, including four Champions Leagues and a record seven Ballon D’Or trophies, cementing his position as one of the all-time greats.

Lionel Messi has achieved success at both the club and international levels, winning numerous titles and awards, including four Champions Leagues, 11 domestic league titles, and a record seven Ballon D’Or trophies, as well as a Copa América title with Argentina.

Lionel Messi is widely regarded by many fans and experts as one of the greatest football players of all time, known for his exceptional technical skills and numerous record-breaking achievements.