Lionel Messi has been named as the world's best playmaker of the last decade according to data compiled by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
Every year, the IFFHS gives out an award for the best playmaker using statistics to determine a winner on a points system.
This system – which gives 20 points to first place, 19 points to second and so on and so forth – has accumulated each player's yearly total between 2011 and 2020 to help crown the best 20 playmakers, with Messi winning by a clear margin.
The Barcelona talisman, who picked up the best playmaker award in 2015, 2017 and 2019, managed to accrue an impressive 174 points during the nine-year period, with ex-Barca team-mate Andres Iniesta the closest player to him on 127 points.
Luka Modric, who became the only player to break Messi's and Cristiano Ronaldo's stranglehold of the Ballon d'Or trophy in 2018, claimed the final podium place with 113 points.
Top 20 Playmakers Of The Decade
Lionel Messi – 174 points
Andres Iniesta – 127 points
Luka Modric – 113 points
Kevin De Bruyne – 103 points
Toni Kroos – 90 points
Eden Hazard – 77 points
Neymar – 71 points
Mesut Ozil – 69 points
Andrea Pirlo – 63 points
Yaya Toure – 60 points
Xavi Hernandez – 55 points
Cristiano Ronaldo – 54 points
David Silva – 52 points
James Rodriguez – 42 points
Bastian Schweinsteiger – 40 points
Christian Eriksen – 38 points
Riyad Mahrez – 38 points
Paul Pogba – 35 points
Thiago Alcantara – 33 points
Isco – 25 points
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This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago
