Messi, Ronaldo, Salah, Lewandowski Named 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, November 29, 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.

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

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This however did not augur well with 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.

Messi admits Lewandowski deserves Ballon d’Or

Legit.ng earlier reported that Lionel Messi was the first to admit that Robert Lewandowski deserved a Ballon d’or during the award ceremony on Monday, November 29.

Messi was always favoured to win the award going into the ceremony, although there was stiff competition from Lewandowski, who had the stellar year 2020 and 2021.

Upon receiving his award, Messi showed some class by giving a shout-out to his closest rival Lewandowski, saying the Polish striker should have won the award last year.