Messi voted top footballer of 2015

Lionel Messi of Spain's FC Barcelona was named at the head of the Guardian's list of the world's top 100 footballers Friday, while his biggest rival, Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid, took second spot. The British newspaper's annual poll ranks the world's greatest male football players with input from 123 experts, led by Brazilian football legend Zico, Argentine football star Javier Zanetti and former Romanian footballer Gheorghe Hagi. The judges from 49 countries cast their votes in a secret ballot, taking into account only form and achievements for the past year. With 74 percent of panelists giving him top spot, Messi, who yielded first place to Ronaldo last year, regained No.1. The newspaper said that "after a disappointing World Cup and a sense that injury and weariness had taken its toll, Messi's 2014-15 season was both a genuine, through-the-roof return to form." With Messi at the top, two other FC Barcelona forwards joined in the top four ― Brazilian forward Neymar was third and Luis Suarez of Uruguay fourth. The three attackers are frequently dubbed the "MSN" trident. Following them, German football club Bayern Munich's forward duo, Robert Lewandowski of Poland and Thomas Muller, were named fifth and sixth. Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Paris Saint-Germain FC took seventh and Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer, who placed eighth, was the only goalkeeper in the top 10. Emerging English football star Jamie Vardy of Leicester City FC in the English Premier League was ranked 68th while his teammate forward Riyad Mahrez of France placed 97th. No Asian footballers made the list.