Barcelona defender Daniel Alves has said that Lionel Messi doesn't need the FIFA Ballon d'Or to be recognised as the world's best player.
The prestigious gong will be handed out later this month, with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo the favourite, but Alves claimed that his teammate, who has scooped the prize a record four times, is still the planet's finest player.
"The Ballon d'Or thing is a little tiresome because it has been moved to a different playing field," Goal.com quotes the Brazilian as saying. "It has moved to the field of opinions and off the field of play. But if we look at the field of play, I think Leo, for as long as he is around, will push the rest into second place.
"Moving away from that, perhaps he has less chance. The winner will be the one who has had the best campaign, or the best publicity campaign.
"We are talking about the Ballon d'Or as if we were talking about politics. The one with the best campaign wins, not the one who plays the best football, the one who makes the most incredible runs or scores the most goals."
Barcelona are currently second in La Liga.
