Messi will attend The Best awards ceremony despite best player snub LaLiga Santander - Barcelona It takes place on Monday, September 24

By deciding to attend next Monday's FIFA awards gala, Lionel Messi is displaying a praiseworthy amount of fair play.

The Argentine wasn't included on the three-man shortlist for The Best award for the past season, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Mohamed Salah ahead of him.

However, Messi has been included in the team of the year and is, therefore, invited to the event.

While others might not want to accept that invitation, knowing that they'll not be taking home the main prize, Messi has decided to attend the ceremony in any case, as he has done throughout his career even when he hasn't won certain individual awards.

There was controversy just a few weeks ago when Ronaldo avoided UEFA's awards ceremony once it became clear that Modric would be pipping him to the best player gong.

There won't be a similar situation with Messi next week, with the No.10 set to be in the crowd when the winner of the best player award is revealed.