Lionel Messi wins Goal 50

The Barcelona forward says he is "very excited" after topping our annual list of the world's most outstanding players for the the third time

Lionel Messi has won the Goal 50 award for the world’s best footballer after another record-breaking season.

The Argentinian forward claims the title for the third time in recognition of an incredible campaign during which he beat Gerd Muller’s 40-year-old record of 85 goals scored in a calendar year.

The 26-year old scored 91 goals in 2012 and increased his total as Barcelona’s all-time top scorer to 313 goals in all competitions by the end of the season.

Messi struck in his 19th consecutive La Liga game in March 2013, becoming the first footballer in history to score in consecutive matches against every team in a major professional league.

After receiving the trophy from Goal's Barcelona correspondent Pilar Suarez at the club's training ground, Messi said: "I'm very excited about this. As players, we work the entire year to win honours for the team, we don't look for the individual awards, but when they come it's an incentive and gives us strength to continue on the same path."

The Goal 50 is regarded as one of the most credible and respected awards in sport because it is chosen by the world’s biggest football website.

Voting takes place at the end of domestic and international seasons for the majority of countries.

More than 500 Goal journalists from around the world vote to select their top 50 players, giving a truly global view.

Messi heads this year's list in front of second-placed Franck Ribery, who helped European champions Bayern Munich win an historic treble. Last year’s winner Cristiano Ronaldo is third.

Commenting on the results, Graham Shaw, Editorial Director, said: “Messi had a spectacular season and it is incredible to think he has achieved so much by the age of 26. His award this year takes him past Cristiano Ronaldo to a record three Goal 50 titles and recognises the individual brilliance of a player who is rightly recognised by some as the greatest of all time.”

What a joke of a list Mata and Suarez not even in the top 30

Fred better than Falcao and Cavani lol

http://www.goal.com/en/slideshow/4335/1/title/goal-50-2013

 

Gawd so glad we moved away from that terrible website.

Morpheus led us out of the Matrix that was lol.com

Full list, agree with Top3

1. Messi, Lionel
2. Ribery, Franck
3. Ronaldo, Cristiano
4. Müller, Thomas
5. Robben, Arjen
6. Bale, Gareth
7. Lahm, Philipp
8. Silva, Thiago
9. Vidal, Arturo
10. Van Persie, Robin
11. Schweinsteiger, Bastian
12. Paulinho
13. Fred
14. Neymar
15. Lewandowski, Robert
16. Cavani, Edison
17. Falcao, Radamel
18. Dante
19. Iniesta, Andres
20. Yilmaz, Burak
21. Scocco, Ignacio
22. Mandzukic, Mario
23. Martinez, Javi
24. Mba, Sunday
25. Ibrahimovic, Zlatan
26. Götze, Mario
27. Neuer, Manuel
28. Courtiois, Thibaut
29. Aboutrika, Mohamed
30. Akinfeev, Igor
31. Suarez, Luis
32. Mata, Juan
33. Martinez, Jackson
34. Guerrero, Paolo
35. Gundogan, Ilkay
36. Isco
37. Varane, Raphael
38. Willian
39. Rahman, Omar Abdul
40. Rodriguez, James
41. Weidenfeller, Roman
42. Pirlo, Andrea
43. Mkhitaryan, Henrikh
44. Wanyama, Victor
45. Khune, Itumeleng
46. Fernandinho
47. Sato, Hisato
48. Keane, Robbie
49. Keun-Ho, Lee
50. Lampard, Frank

mickey mouse award

These lists do seem to always be more inaccurate, lower you go because votes gets more even.

Agree with the top 3... the rest is a joke!

Iniesta 19th? should be (3rd-5th)

Bale and Robben (overrated)

Suarez 31st!! Mata 32nd!! Both should be in Top 10!

No Reus, Ozil or Busquets in Top 50!!

Robbie Keane > Marco Reus.

Whaaat