Zanetti, capped a record 145 times by his country, has backed compatriot Messi to claim the award ahead of Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo.
While Barcelona may have endured a sub-standard year, Messi has continued to add to his impressive list of personal achievements, becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.
And Zanetti feels the 27-year-old is worthy of another Ballon d'Or gong.
"I'm hoping that Messi wins it - he's a true great," former Inter stalwart Zanetti told FIFA.com. "He never stops surprising people: at any given moment he's capable of improvising with a touch of skill or something spectacular that can win you a game.
"In my view, he's the best player in the world."
Messi, Ronaldo and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer are on the shortlist for the award.
'He’s going to lead the evolution of who we are as players and as a nation. He's going to take that to a new level': Mauricio Pochettino exciting USA national team players with approach
'Our goal is to win the Premier League, maybe it's not with me' Ruben Amorim gives frank view of Manchester United's revival prospects
