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Third rate! Messi loses out to boxer and taekwondo fighter for Argentina's best athlete award

Published: 15:09 EDT, 19 December 2012 | Updated: 03:01 EDT, 20 December 2012

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Ask a group of people who they think the best athlete or sportsman in the world is, and Lionel Messi will be a name you'll hear a lot.

Unless this group of people is comprised of Argentine journalists, who don't even rate Messi as the best in their country. Or second best for that matter.

No, it was third place for the Barcelona superstar who finished behind boxer Sergio Martinez and taekwondo fighter Sebastian Crismanich.

Pretty good year: Sergio Martinez with his trophy after beating Sebastian Chrismanich and Lionel Messi to the award

Ready for it: Martinez will fight British boxer Martin Murray in April 2013

Messi's incredible record breaking goal haul - he has 90 so far this year - wasn't enough to put him ahead of the competition.

Martinez won the Olimpia de Oro after beating Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in their WBC title fight earlier this year. He will fight British boxer Martin Murray in April 2013.

What, not me? Lionel Messi finished third in the poll of Argentine journalists

Crismanich, meanwhile, was Argentina's only gold medallist in the London 2012 Olympics.

'It is an honor having won this prize contending with athletes like Sebastian Crismanich and Leo Messi,' Martinez said at the award ceremony on Tuesday night.

But having picked up the award in 2011 and being the hot favourite for the Ballon d'Or, Messi won't be too upset.