Messi misses out on The Best

2022 has not brought another award for Leo Messi. The Argentine has not been chosen as the best player for 2021 by winning The Best, the prize which is given by FIFA for the best player of last season. 

Messi was going to find it difficult this year. He was up against two titans in Robert Lewandowski and Mohamed Salah, but the 2020 winner beat the PSG man to the award. The Argentine was unable to add The Best to the Ballon d'Or he won a month ago. 

Leo Messi played 61 matches in 2021 and he scored 43 goals as well as giving 17 assists. 

But Messi did not just have great stats in 2021. He also won his first ever trophy with Argentina. That was the Copa America he won in the summer. 

That was his major achievement of 2021. A trophy for Argentina after beating Brazil in the final in Brazil as well as his departure from Barcelona to PSG. 

A year divided into two

Leo Messi's 2021 can be split into two completely different halves. The first half was from January until he left Barca and the second was since joining PSG. 

In the first half of the season, Leo Messi showed his best form. He led the Barcelona attack and he was Argentina's shining light during the whole Copa America. 

But everything went pearshaped after Barcelona were unable to renew him. At PSG, he has scored just six times and given four assists in 16 appearances.