Lionel Messi: PSG Star Voted Best Footballer of 2022 Ahead of Mbappe, Benzema, and Ronaldo

• Lionel Messi had a successful 2022 that saw him win the Ligue 1 title and the World Cup
• His heroics have seen him voted the best footballer of 2022 ahead of the likes of Mbappe
• Cristiano Ronaldo failed to make even the top 50 after a disappointing year with Man United

Paris Saint-Germain superstar Lionel Messi has been voted the best footballer of 2022.

Messi had a fantastic 2022 as he won the Ligue 1 title with PSG as well as the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.

According to The Sun, the 35-year-old played a central role in Argentina's World Cup triumph as he scored an eyewatering seven goals, including two in the final against France.

His exploits have now seen him named the best footballer of 2022, beating a host of other top footballers to the honour.

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A list from The Guardian naming the "100 best male footballers in the world" placed Kylian Mbappe second on the list, with Karim Benzema, who won the Ballon d'Or completing the top three podium.

Who else featured in the list?

Other top footballers who featured in the list include Man City ace, Erling Haaland, who came in fourth ahead of Real Madrid anchorman Luka Modric, who was placed fifth.

Kebin de Bruyne had to settle for a sixth-place finish, while Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski came in seventh.

Real Madrid duo Vinicius Jr and Thibaut Courtois featured in the top 10, with Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah also making the cut.

Cristiano Ronaldo's struggles

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo failed to make even the top 50 after his struggles at Manchester United.

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The veteran striker's struggles at the Theatre of Dreams culminated in his axing by the Red Devils, who terminated his contract prematurely.

In the rankings, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner could only manage a 51st-place finish behind Liverpool superstar Cody Gakpo.

Top 10 best footballers of 2022 per The Guardian:

1. Lionel Messi (PSG)

2. Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

3. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

4. Erling Haaland (Man City)

5. Luka Modric ( Real Madrid)

6. Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)

7. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

8. Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid)

9. Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

10. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Messi 'finally' speaks English

Sports Brief earlier reported that world Champion Lionel Messi has been spotted speaking English for what appears to be the first time during an event in France.

The 35-year-old was in born Argentina and grew up speaking Spanish as his country’s home language.

In a video shared on social media, Messi was sighted alongside club teammate Marco Verratti repeating a sentence in English during an event in Paris.