Lionel Messi tops MARCA’s “Top 100 of 2018” list

Lionel Messi is the number 1 in world football according to Diario MARCA’s “Top 100” list. The influential Madrid-based daily presented a ten-player shortlist to its readers, who chose the FC Barcelona star ahead of Real Madrid’s Luka Modrić.

Another publication, France Football, gave their prestigious Ballon d’Or award to Modrić. Messi finished only fifth in their rankings.

Calling Messi the “clear winner,” MARCA praised the Argentine’s 2018 thusly: “Messi has won the Golden Boot, is top scorer of the calendar year, won a league and cup double... he is simply the best in world football.”

Modrić finished second, with Atlético Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann third. Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé rounded out the top five.