Being listed as one of the top 15 Fc Barcelona players, as voted on by fans, is an accomplishment to be proud of. When that list is narrowed down to the top 10, beyond doubt these players are the best in all the sport. But, what happens when the top two players are within 150 votes of each other?
The top player earned 73,264 votes. His name is Lionel Messi. By the age of 21, this football star had already received more than one Fifa World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or nominations. Some football enthusiasts have even compared the player to famed Diego Maradona, which is a huge accomplishment in its own right. During the 2009 season, the Fc Barcelona coach, Josep Guardiola claimed that Messi was probably the most talented football player he had ever laid eyes on.
Falling in at a close second with 73,110 votes is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Known affectionately to his fans as Ibra, this player may be new to Fc Barcelona but not to football. Before Messi signed a contract worth 9.5 million Euros a year, Ibra was the top paid player in football earning 9 million Euros a year.
The battle in the middle of Messi and Ibra to come to be the most beloved player on Fc Barcelona is not something these two are unfamiliar with. An old coach was quoted as saying (of Ibra), "I think there are four outstanding players in the world - Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kaka. At the moment, I think I have the best in the four - the best player in the world [Zlatan Ibrahimovic]."
Fc Barcelona Player of the Season 2010