50 Players Who Will Dominate World Football In 2016

2. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

What is there to say about Lionel Messi? The diminutive Argentinian is heavy favourite to win the 2015 Ballon d'Or, the result of an incredibly impressive treble-winning season for Barcelona. In the Champions League, Messi finished joint-top goalscorer (with 10) and top of the assist table, a testament to not only his legendary eye for goal, but his sense of teamwork as well. Although the Messi vs. Ronaldo debate rages on - and will probably continue to rage long after the retirement of both men - it's undeniable that Barcelona man has recently found himself at the forefront of a far more effective system. Combining with Neymar and Suarez, Messi has become the leader of the most prolific attacking trio in the history of La Liga. The strike force scored a scarcely believable 122 goals in all competitions last season. Of course, Messi remains the de facto leader, contributing 58 of those. Who knows what he can achieve in 2016...?