Lionel Messi has again proven to be better off than his closest rival Cristiano Ronaldo after he was named the best player of the 21st century. In a list compiled and broken down by British news media outfit Independent, each player were given points according to how they were ranked. And Barcelona star Messi was regarded as the best player in the history of football beating his fiercest rival Roanldo. READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng Here are the top 100 players in the 21st century selected by Independent 100. Yaya Toure 99. Harry Kane 98. Daniele De Rossi 97. Bastian Schweinsteiger 96. Vincent Kompany 95. Karim Benzema 94. Sol Campbell 93. Pepe 92. Edwin van der Sar 91. Arturo Vidal 90. Angel di Maria 89. Diego Forlan 88. Radamel Falcao 87. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 86. Robin van Persie 85. Carlos Tevez 84. Gaizka Mendieta 83. Virgil van Dijk 82. Hernan Crespo 81. Rio Ferdinand 80. Toni Kroos 79. Juan Roman Riquelme 78. Thomas Muller 77. Mohamed Salah 76. Diego Godin 75. David Silva 74. Eden Hazard 73. Cesc Fabregas 72. Deco 71. Lilian Thuram 70. Nemanja Vidic 69. Marcelo 68. Ryan Giggs 67. Antoine Griezmann 66. Clarence Seedorf 65. Wesley Sneijder 64. Gabriel Batistuta 63. Fernando Torres 62. Ruud van Nistelrooy 61. Claude Makelele 60. Sergio Aguero 59. Cafu 58. Miroslav Klose 57. Kevin de Bruyne 56. Henrik Larsson 55. Xabi Alonso 54. Dennis Bergkamp 53. Gareth Bale 52. Gerard Pique 51. Robert Lewandowski 50. Javier Zanetti 49. Didier Drogba 48. Michael Ballack 47. Oliver Kahn 46. Ashley Cole 45. Pavel Nedved 44. N'Golo Kante 43. Kylian Mbappe 42. Alessandro Del Piero 41. Alessandro Nesta 40. Patrick Vieira 39. Zlatan Ibrahimovic 38. Roberto Carlos 37. Rivaldo 36. Roy Keane 35. John Terry 34. Paul Scholes 33. David Villa 32. Iker Casillas 31. Francesco Totti 30. Arjen Robben 29. Wayne Rooney 28. Raul Gonzalez 27. Manuel Neuer 26. Paolo Maldini 25. Dani Alves 24. Carles Puyol 23. Frank Lampard 22. Luka Modric 21. Samuel Eto'o 20. Neymar 19. Andrei Shevchenko 18. Steven Gerrard 17. Sergio Busquets 16. Luis Suarez 15. Luis Figo 14. Philipp Lahm 13. Gianluigi Buffon 12. Sergio Ramos 11. Andrea Pirlo 10. Fabio Cannavaro 9. Kaka 8. Zinedine Zidane 7. Thierry Henry 6. Ronaldo 5. Andres Iniesta 4. Ronaldinho 3. Xavi Hernandez 2. Cristiano Ronaldo 1. Lionel Messi PAY ATTENTION: Install Pitch Football App for FREE to get the latest football News & Scores Read more: https://www.legit.ng/1268069-greatest-100-players-21st-century-messi-ronaldo.html

Lalasticlala mynd44 dominque

I gave up on the rankings the moment I saw the position of Rooney,Lampard and Ibrahimovic

This rating is sheet ...
How will they rate living dear bruyne ahead of van persie..

kleverley:
I gave up on the rankings the moment I saw the position of Rooney,Lampard and Ibrahimovic

football is not just about goals and goals, assists, chance created, duels won etc etc matters

kleverley:
I gave up on the rankings the moment I saw the position of Rooney,Lampard and Ibrahimovic

If I take another look at the rankings, I'll become angry. Look where schweinsteiger is placed, KDB ahead of Hazard wtf
This ranking is full of shit!!

Binikingdowm:
football is not just about goals and goals, assists, chance created, duels won etc etc matters

do you believe kdb should be ahead of hazard?
How is that possible?

Binikingdowm:
football is not just about goals and goals, assists, chance created, duels won etc etc matters

Gareth Bale and Didier Drogba ahead of Ryan Giggs how do you explain that?

I don't care about the rest, messi been at the top is fact.

Where is Mane, Buffon, Dzeko etc

messi don't give them heart attack oooo

Binikingdowm:
I don't care about the rest, messi been at the top is fact.

Same as Cr7 being no 2