Argentina and Barcelona superstar, Lionel Messi, has been voted as the winner of the 2019 Best FIFA Men’s Player Award.

Messi saw off the challenge from his perennial rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Netherlands and Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.

Van Dijk was seen as the favourite by many after he won the Champions League with Liverpool last season.

However, Messi also had a splendid season in which he scored 51 goals in 50 games on the way to winning the La Liga title with Barcelona.

While Van Dijk was at the event held in Milan, Ronaldo was conspicuously missing.