Who was named the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker for the year 2016 in association football?

Introduction / Context:
In association football, several organisations present annual awards to recognise outstanding players. The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) names a World Best Playmaker each year, honouring the player who most effectively creates goal scoring opportunities. These awards are often used in competitive exams to test awareness of major football honours. This question asks you to identify who was named the World Best Playmaker for 2016.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The award in question is the IFFHS World Best Playmaker 2016.
• We are dealing with association football (soccer).
• The options are Lionel Messi, Toni Kroos, Riyad Mahrez, and Andres Iniesta.
• We assume that the award is given to a creative attacking player or midfielder.

Concept / Approach:
The concept is knowledge of annual football awards. Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, and Toni Kroos are all highly creative players, but Lionel Messi has frequently been recognised by IFFHS as the World Best Playmaker due to his combined goal scoring and assisting abilities. In 2016, Messi performance in creating chances and providing assists, along with his overall influence on matches, led to him receiving this specific playmaker award. The approach is to recall that 2016 was a strong year for Messi and that IFFHS awards often reflect his dominance in creative play.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the year 2016 and the specific title World Best Playmaker. Step 2: List the main creative players in the options and recall their achievements around that time. Step 3: Remember that Lionel Messi not only scored many goals but also provided a large number of assists, influencing matches as a playmaker. Step 4: Recognise that IFFHS has repeatedly selected Messi for this award, including in 2016. Step 5: Select Lionel Messi as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be performed by comparing typical roles. Andres Iniesta and Toni Kroos are midfielders known for passing and control, and they have been ranked highly in playmaker lists. Riyad Mahrez had a standout season with Leicester City in 2015 to 2016 but is less frequently associated with the top playmaker award. Lionel Messi is widely regarded as both a forward and a playmaker, consistently leading statistics for goals and assists. When remembering IFFHS award history, Messi multiple wins, including the 2016 recognition, stand out clearly, confirming him as the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Toni Kroos: A world class midfield playmaker for club and country, but he was not the IFFHS World Best Playmaker award winner in 2016.
Riyad Mahrez: He had an outstanding Premier League season, but this particular global playmaker award in 2016 was not given to him.
Andres Iniesta: A legendary playmaker, but the 2016 IFFHS title in question went to Lionel Messi rather than Iniesta.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to confuse different football awards, such as Ballon d Or, best midfielder awards, or league specific honours, with IFFHS titles. Another mistake is assuming that a central midfielder must always win a playmaker award, whereas dynamic forwards like Messi can also be recognised as playmakers because of their assist numbers and overall chance creation. To avoid such confusion, it is important to remember that IFFHS evaluates creativity and influence on goals, factors in which Messi excelled during 2016.

Final Answer:
The IFFHS World Best Playmaker for the year 2016 in association football was Lionel Messi, so option A is correct.