Messi 2017's best player: MARCA

Individual performances matter more than titles, or at least that is the case for readers who voted for Barcelona's Lionel Messi as the best player in the world in 2017, reports http://www.marca.com.

He beat off competition from Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the Ballon d'or and FIFA's best player award.

The Argentine international came in first place in Spanish sports magazine MARCA's top 100 and will go into 2018 seeking to win the one title he is missing from his cabinet: the World Cup.

Conversation about Messi is now about whether he is the best of all time. There are few words left to describe him, given that 2017 saw him pick up his fourth Golden Shoe for scoring 37 goals in LaLiga.

He was fundamental to the club's Copa del Rey victory, but even beyond that his performances were at a unique level which no-one else can even hope to match.