Lionel Messi: It’s A Shame Mané Finished Fourth In Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi has said it was “a shame” that Sadio Mané finished fourth in the Ballon d’Or.

The Barcelona star, who bagged the award for a record sixth time, also explained why he chose the Liverpool winger for the FIFA Best.

‘It’s a shame to see Mane finish in fourth place,’ Messi told Canal+.

‘But I think there have been a lot of great players this year. That’s why it was difficult to choose a particular player. But I chose Sadio Mane (for The Best award) because he’s a player that I like,’ he added.

Read: Ex-Arsenal Playmaker Fabregas Ranks Liverpool’s Mané Among Best In The World

Messi won the Ballon d’Or for the sixth time in his career in Paris on Monday, eclipsing Mane’s team-mate Virgil van Dijk to claim the gong. Cristiano Ronaldo was third, with Mane fourth and Mohamed Salah fifth.

‘Mane achieved a great year that was exceptional for the entire Liverpool team. That’s why I chose him.

‘I repeat, there were a lot of very great players this year, so the choice was difficult,’ the Argentine stressed.

Mane proved his credentials as one of the top five players in world football with a sublime performance in the 5-2 Merseyside derby win over Everton on Wednesday night.

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