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Lionel Messi has been named the International Federation for Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) Player of the Decade against his rival Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Argentine and the current Juventus star have dominated individual football accolades for years.
But Messi’s Barcelona exploits over the past decade have been deemed superior.
The 33-year-old remained a man of one club and won two more Champions League titles with the Catalan club.
Under a multitude of different managers, Messi has gone on to produce and add six more La Liga titles and five Copa del Reys.
He is still waiting for a first big international success but having failed in several Copa America finals.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Ronaldo achieved success with Portugal at Euro 2016 and also won four European titles with Real Madrid.
He was however pushed by his rival to the first place on this particular occasion.
Andres Iniesta, another Barcelona star, was named third for his role in their period of domination.
Neymar, who also played for the Catalan club, is fourth on the list.
The Brazilian continued to win trophies at PSG after setting a world record in France in 2017.
(Image: SIPA USA / PA Images)
Sergio Ramos, who alongside Ronaldo won four European crowns with Los Blancos, is fifth as the only defender on the list.
Bayern Munich’s duo Manuel Neuer and Robert Lewandowski were named sixth and seventh after winning the treble with the German side last season.
Gianluigi Buffon is the second keeper on the list in eighth with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in ninth.
The Swede, at the age of 39, continues to produce the goods after playing for four of Europe’s biggest clubs this decade.
Luka Modric, the man who stopped Messi and Ronaldo’s domination of the Ballon d’Or, rounds out the top ten after reaching the World Cup final with Croatia.
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