The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), as per Marca, has named Barcelona star, talisman and lynchpin, Lionel Messi, as one of the top three South American players of the last decade alongside two of his former club team mates at the Catalan club.
Messi’s former strike partner Neymar has also made the list, but their other erstwhile compatriot who completed the most-feared attacking MSN trident between 2014 and 2017, Luis Suarez, didn’t make the cut.
Sharing the prestigious podium with Messi and Neymar is former Sevilla and Blaugrana right-back, Dani Alve.
The trio were involved in a period of domestic dominance for the Catalan club – who won eight of 12 league titles between 2009 and 2020.
South Korean forward Heung-Min Son tops the list for Asia ahead of Japan’s Keisuke Honda and Salem Al Dawsari of Saudi Arabia, while Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah tops the African standings ahead of Senegalese forward and his Liverpool club teammate Sadio Mane and Algerian forward Riyad Mahrez.