Lionel Messi won an accolade at the 2008 Olympics.
=== 20072008: Copa Amrica final and Olympic gold ===As Messi evolved into one of the best players in the world, he secured a place in Alfio Basile's starting line-up, as part of a team considered favourites to win the 2007 Copa Amrica, held in Venezuela
 On 17 December, Messi finished third in The Best FIFA Men's Player award behind Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo, and was included in the FIFA FIFPro World XI for the fourteenth consecutive year

