Best Player Lionel Messi’s personal vote revealed as Liverpool’s Sadio Mane

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Lionel Messi scooped the FIFA award for Best Men’s player – and it has since been revealed (via Daily Mail) he voted for Liverpool winger Sadio Mane.

The Barcelona superstar beat Virgil van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo to the prize after another sensational season in which he scored 51 goals in all competitions.

Messi is now officially recognised by FIFA as the game’s best player, but it is interesting to note that the man himself voted for Mane as the world’s best.

Mane certainly enjoyed an amazing season (26 goals, five assists), and the recognition from Messi is a testament to the player he has become.

TBR’s view

To receive Messi’s vote has to count for a lot for Mane.

It suggests that the Senegal international has finally emerged from Mohamed Salah’s shadow at Anfield.

Salah’s debut season propelled the Egyptian to superstardom and Mane initially struggled to come in for the same kind of adulation.

That is certainly no longer the case now, with many Reds supporters of the opinion that Mane is the best of the three Anfield forwards.

That seems to be Messi’s opinion too, and if he continues his current form, he could well become next year’s winner.