Barcelona star Lionel Messi has made TIME magazine's 100 most influential people this year.

Messi is the only footballer to make the list.

Ex-player and now Barça ambassador Mia Hamm explained the reasons behind Messi's selection.

"He's incredibly talented and humble," writes Hamm. The two-time FIFA World Player described the day she met the Argentine star: "He was a bit shy - some of that can be attributed to the language barrier - but I was able to watch their training, and it was clear he was an incredible teammate."