Lionel Messi's on-field achievements for Barcelona and Argentina did not warrant his inclusion in the last three for The Best FIFA Men's Player award this year, according to Felix Kroos.
Messi, who this week broke Pele's record for the most goals across a single club career with his 644th goal, finished third at the 2020 ceremony earlier this month.
The 33-year-old took the bronze medal behind Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski and familiar rival Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, who finished first and second respectively.
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Yet, in a calendar year that saw Messi struggle to replicate his personal successes as well as emerge empty-handed in the hunt for silverware, his inclusion raised eyebrows in certain quarters.