Rio Ferdinand drops Lionell Messi in his team of the year

Ferdinand, while naming his team of the year, says Robert Lewandowski was 'robbed' of a Ballon d'Or which was given to Lionel Messi.

The former United and England defender Ferdinand has passionately been explaining his surprising selections for the FIFA Team of the Year naming three Chelsea stars and a trio of Manchester City teammates among his choices.

In just a month after joining Paris Saint-Germain, Messi won a seventh Ballon d'Or, though according to Ferdinand, he is not worth making it to the team of the year.

According to him [Ferdinand], Messi can't be in the conversations of the team of the year because of how badly he's performed after the transfer window in terms of goals and assists.

“If Ronaldo doesn't play, Man United get knocked out of the Champions League, Salah is the Premier League's best player. He has been nothing short of remarkable and he has destroyed all comers.” says Ferdinand.

Messi has scored a solitary goal in 11 appearances in the French top flight Ligue 1 since his move from Barca to PSG in August.

The Argentina captain has been in better form in the Champions League, where Ronaldo, who rejoined United from Juventus in the same month, scored a last-gasp equaliser at Atalanta and a 95th-minute winner at home to Sevilla as his side progressed.

Bayern Munich goal machine Robert Lewandowski, who came second to Messi and would have been a runaway favourite to win the Ballon d'Or in 2020 had it not been cancelled, according to Ferdinand.

“Lewandowski scored the most league goals of any player in Europe's top five leagues. That's all I need to say. He wins it, no argument.” he added.

Champions League winners Edouard Mendy, Antonio Rudiger and N'Golo Kante join Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo, who won the Premier League with City, among Ferdinand's team of the year.