Messi, Ronaldo, Salah, Lewandowski in World's Best XI Based on 2021 Ballon d'Or Votes

• Lionel Messi has been crowned the best footballer in the world in the year 2021 after France Football handed the Argentine a seventh Ballon d’Or title
• The 34-year-old beat closest rival Robert Lewandowski to the award, while Chelsea midfielder Jorginho finished third
• With Ballon d’Or not naming the world’s starting XI, here are the best eleven players according to the votes

Argentine legend Lionel Messi scooped his seventh Ballon d’Or title in an award ceremony on Monday night, 29 November, beating Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho, Euro Sport reports.

The Barcelona legend was crowned the best footballer in the world by French Football who are organisers of the awards.

It was a moment that the 34-year-old consolidated on his GOAT status as he was also named in the world’s best starting eleven courtesy of the Ballon d’Or votes.

How it went down in Paris

The build-up to the event was tense with many tipping Lewandowski to win it having missed out on the award last year as it was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Hours after scoring brace against Club Brugge, PSG Star Lionel Messi turns his kids to opponents

Football

The French publication teased their way through the 30 contenders by slowly revealing where they finished in the standings.

Unlike FIFA who name the best eleven in the world, Ballon d’Or did not, but here is a translation of who would make up the starting eleven according to the votes.

GiveMeSport had to throw the tactical rulebook out the window a little bit because it was nigh on impossible to not make the line-up insanely tactically without missing off tonnes of players.

Starting XI

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma (10th)

CB: Leonardo Bonucci (14th)

CB: Giorgio Chiellini (13th)

CB: Simon Kjaer (18th)

RM: Mohamed Salah (7th)

CM: N'Golo Kante (5th)

CM: Jorginho (3rd)

LM: Cristiano Ronaldo (6th)

RF: Lionel Messi (1st)

FW: Robert Lewandowski (2nd)

LF: Karim Benzema (4th)

Fans blast French Football for awarding Messi the Ballon d’Or ahead of Lewandowski

Meanwhile, social media went wild on Tuesday, 30 November, with a heated debate on who deserved the 2021 Ballon d’Or more between Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski.

PSG Stars Wear Gold-Tinted Special Kit vs Monaco in Honour of Lionel Messi's 7th Ballon d'Or

Football

This however did not augur well large sections of fans, who felt Lewandowski had a stellar 2021 and perhaps deserved the award more.

Fans made their feelings known, particularly on Twitter, as they went in on why they felt the Pole had been denied his best chance of clinching the coveted individual award.

Kaizer Chiefs’ Itumeleng Khune believes Lionel Messi is the greatest but SA disagrees

In other sports stories, Briefly News published that Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has also heaped praise on Argentina and Paris St Germain star Lionel Messi.

Messi bagged his seventh Ballon d’Or award on Monday night and Khune has acted like a fan showing his admiration.

The Amakhosi net minder headed online to share his excitement and lavished the former Barcelona star with praise. ‘Itu’ says the experienced midfielder has no competitor as he clinched the award in an event that was hosted in France.