This archive report was first published on 24 September 2019.
Cristiano Ronaldo Loses to Messi in FIFA Best Player Award ¶
On September 24, 2019, Lionel Messi won the FIFA Best Player award for the sixth time in his career, beating his closest rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi's contribution in Barcelona's La Liga title-winning run and the European Golden Boot was enough for him to win the accolade.
Van Dijk, who recently won UEFA's Best European Player, was a favourite to clinch the crown following his immense contribution in the Champions League last season for Liverpool.
However, Messi prevailed as Ronaldo, who was also listed in the Fifpro XI, was missing at the event held at the La Scala Opera house in Milan, Italy.
10 minutes after the event, Ronaldo posted on Instagram a photo of himself and his eldest son studying, along with a cryptic message that seemed to suggest he was content at not winning the coveted individual award.
The long-standing rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi meant there would inevitably be a group which felt the Portuguese deserved to be crowned for a record sixth time in his career.
Portugal, through its official Twitter handle, made its feelings known as the country shared a photo of the golden child along with the caption “The Best”.
"Patience and persistence are two characteristics that differentiate the professional from the amateur," wrote Ronaldo.
"Everything that is big today has started small. You can't do everything, but do everything you can to make your dreams come true. And keep in mind that after night always comes dawn," he said.
