Messi bags 2016 top scorer award

Lionel Messi has won Europe’s 2016 top scorers award. The Barcelona star netted 51 goals in the calendar year to edge Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic who came second with 50.

Although Messi missed out on the Ballon d’Or to Cristiano Ronaldo, he has claimed the 2016 highest goalscorer award in the top five European leagues.

Ibrahimovic who had one goal less failed to score asManchester United made a late comeback to defeat Stoke Cityon new year’s eve.

The 5-time Ballon d’Or winner displayed a variety of exceptional skills in the course of the year and not just goals scoring.

Messi was inventive as Barcelona won the La Liga and Copa del Rey double also helped Argentina reach the final of the Copa America, though he missed a crucial penalty in the final against Chile.

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona, 51 goals)
2. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, 50 goals)
3. Luis Suarez (Barcelona, 48 goals)
4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, 42 goals)
5. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich, 39 goals)