Lionel Messi managed to win a record-breaking sixth best men's player of the year award on Monday night.

The legendary Barcelona forward had another incredible 2018/19 campaign as he notched 51 goals in 50 games.

Messi took the honour have attracting 46% of the scoring votes. He was followed by Virgil van Dijk (38% of the votes) and Cristiano Ronaldo (36% of the votes).

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane both finished 4th and 5th respectively.

Both have had fantastic seasons. Liverpool finished 2nd in the English top tier, losing just once as the club accumulated 97 points, the third most in Premier League history.

They also helped the Reds to their sixth European Cup triumph.

Individually, Salah scored 27 times in 52 games, while Mane hit the back of the net 26 times in 50 games.

They were never considered to be in the running for the award but one man who thought otherwise was Samuel Eto'o.

The Cameroonian was asked before the event who he thought should win the Best best men's player of the year award: Lionel Messi, Virgil van Dijk or Cristiano Ronaldo.

And Eto'o looked almost insulted, saying Salah and Mane were more deserving.

“The best ones for me are Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane but they are not here," Eto'o said, before walking away.

Eto'o has previously claimed Mane or Salah will not win the Ballon d'Or because African players don't get the respect they deserve.

"We are only good to denigrate our own brothers. We are not respected," Eto’o told RFI, per the Metro.

"It’s a fact. I hope I’m wrong, but the next Ballon d’Or will be neither Mane nor Salah.

"There is no explanation that Mane, Salah or [Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang, the top three scorers of the Premier League last season may not even be among the top five.

"Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both very strong, but this season who won the Champions League? It’s Mane and Salah."