Since its conception, the FIFA Ballon d’Or has only gone to Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Is this the year that someone else finally win it?
The Ballon d’Or is a prestigious award that is given to the best footballer in the world. Naturally, since it’s 2010 debut, only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have taken home the award. This year will be different.
With Messi out with a serious injury and Ronaldo paling next to his Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema, the two golden boys (pun intended) find themselves on the outside looking in for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Here is a full list of the nominees, provided by BBC Sport:
FIFA Ballon d’Or shortlist:
- Sergio Aguero (Argentina/Manchester City)
- Gareth Bale (Wales/Real Madrid)
- Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/VfL Wolfsburg/Manchester City)
- Eden Hazard (Belgium/Chelsea)
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden/Paris Saint-Germain)
- Andres Iniesta (Spain/FC Barcelona)
- Toni Kroos (Germany/Real Madrid)
- Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich)
- Javier Mascherano (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
- Lionel Messi (Argentina/FC Barcelona)
- Thomas Muller (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
- Manuel Neuer (Germany/FC Bayern Munich)
- Neymar (Brazil/FC Barcelona)
- Paul Pogba (France/Juventus)
- Ivan Rakitic (Croatia/FC Barcelona)
- Arjen Robben (Netherlands/FC Bayern Munich)
- James Rodriguez (Colombia/Real Madrid)
- Alexis Sanchez (Chile/Arsenal)
- Luis Suarez (Uruguay/FC Barcelona)
- Yaya Toure (Côte d’Ivoire/Manchester City)
- Arturo Vidal (Chile/Juventus/FC Bayern Munich)
Of course, very few defensive players are in the running. Only Manuel Neuer and Javier Mascherano are on the list as defensive representatives and neither figure to be too heavily in the running with the amount of offense prowess in the mass.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robert Lewandowski have to be the Ballon d’Or front runners as is. The two strikers have been having it out this season. Lewandowski has notched an inhuman 28 goals in 20 appearances between the Polish National Team and Bayern Munich. Few will forget his five goals in nine minutes against Wolfsburg, but just in case you did, here is a refresher:
As the announcer kindly reminded us, this is what the Pole does for a living. He is scoring 1.77 goals per 90 in the Bundesliga so far this year, a clip that is over double that of Ronaldo’s .75.
Zlatan will not do down without a fight, however. The Swedish behemoth became PSG’s all-time top scorer this year and has already scored 19 goals in just over 20 appearances between Sweden and PSG. While his 1.07 goal clip is miles behind his Polish counterpart, no one dares to Zlatan better than Zlatan.
Neymar is a very interesting Ballon d’Or candidate as well. With Messi down for the count, Neymar is the main man in Barcelona. He made that known with his four goals and added assist against Rayo Vallecano. Being the front man at Barcelona is perhaps the most desirable position in the world and if Neymar can make the most of it, he will be in the running for sure.
In terms of Premier League candidates, only Alexis Sanchez and Sergio Aguero appear as legitimate Ballon d’Or contenders. Aguero is still one of the best strikers in the world. He has scored 18 goals in 18 competitions between club and country and as long as Manchester City’s attack is clicking like it is, those goals will keep flowing in.
Meanwhile, Alexis Sanchez has made everyone forget about his slow start to the season. The Chilean has scored seven goals in his last four games. He also led his country to their first Copa America title in their 99 year existence in the competition. Goals and trophies, that is what matters in the Ballon d’Or.
This does appear to be the year that Messi and Ronaldo have to go home empty handed. As it stands, it is Lewandowski’s award to lose.