Ballon d'Or? We all know Messi is best, says Valverde

Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde believes Lionel Messi is the world's best player, regardless of who wins the Ballon d'Or.

Messi is a record five-time winner of the individual honour, but he is expected to be joined on that tally by Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo this year.

The duo have shared the past nine Ballons d'Or and are widely considered the world's two best players.

For Valverde, whose team host Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday, he said he had no doubt who was best.

"We all know who is the best player in the world [Messi]," he told a news conference on Tuesday.

"Giving a Ballon D'Or or other award to remark that, it is something I don't care about. It doesn't change our opinion.

"We all know."

Messi has made an impressive start to this season, scoring 14 goals in 12 games in all competitions for Barca.