Fernando Torres says Messi is the best player in the world.

Despite the Barca ace missing out on the FIFA Player of the year 2008 award, the Liverpool striker says Messi is the best but that Ronaldo deserved to win as he had the better year.

Torres said: "I don't know if Messi is the most decisive player in the world at the moment but what I am sure of is that it is very important to be on form in the final of the season which is when things are decided.

"We will see how Messi, Ronaldo and some others do in the run up to April and May. The one thing we cannot question is that Messi is in brilliant form at this moment in time."

On the awards, he added: "It is very important to have been here. It is very good that two Spanish players were in the final stage. Let's hope that this is just the start of Spanish players always being present."