Lionel Messi talks up Liverpool’s Sadio Mane and says he gave him his Ballon d’Or vote

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Barcelona star Lionel Messi expressed his admiration for Liverpool winger Sadio Mane and says he voted him to win the Ballon d’Or.

Messi praised the £34 million (BBC) wideman after a year in which his Barca side were knocked out of the Champions League by Mane’s Reds.

He told Canal+, via Goal: “It’s a shame to see Mane finish in fourth place. But I think there have been a lot of great players this year. That’s why it was difficult to choose a particular player. But I chose Sadio Mane because he’s a player that I like.

“Mane achieved a great year that was exceptional for the entire Liverpool team. That’s why I chose him. ‘ I repeat, there were a lot of very great players this year, so the choice was difficult.”

TBR’s View – Mane as good as any wideman around right now

There was a time when Neymar seemed the natural heir to the throne when Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s duopoly of the Ballon d’Or came to an end.

But Mane is now a more effective, dynamic and reliable winger than the Brazilian and bares comparison with any player in his position across world football right now.