Since 2010 when France Football’s Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year trophies were merged, the FIFA Ballon d’Or has been dominated by two men: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. In fact, outside of these two men no one else has been crowned World Player of the Year since 2007 (when Kaká won the award) and you have to go back to 2006 to find a time when neither were in the top three players in the world.
The 2016 edition of the award will be announced at a ceremony in Zurich on January 11th 2016 in front of football’s royalty, but what we want to know is when the world’s best footballers race for Ballon d’Or podium, who will make the 2016 FIFA Ballon d’Or Top Three?
The Race for the Ballon d’Or Podium
Lionel Messi
After a difficult 2014 — blighted by injuries and a World Cup final loss to Germany — Messi has made a sensational return to form in 2015. He has undoubtedly been ‘The Man’ on the Domestic, European and international scenes, winning a second treble in six years with Barcelona. He ended his great 2014-15 season by captaining his country to a Copa America final and getting back to his devastating goal-scoring best. Lionel Messi is far and away the favourite for this year’s award.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo is the reigning holder of the Ballon d’Or. In 2015, he has broken the Real Madrid all-time La Liga goal-scoring record and on October 17th 2015 finally overtook the legendary Raúl, as the Real Madrid all time goal-scorer. For the second consecutive year he won the Pichichi award in Spain for the league’s top goal-scorer; notching an impressive 48 goals in 35 games at an average of 1.37 goals per game.
Ronaldo’s form has dipped so far in the 2015-16 season. His goal scoring record is still impressive on a statistical level (13 goals in 15 appearances), but he has scored his goals in only six of these matches. Eight goals arrived in two consecutive fixtures in September, when scoring five against Espanyol and a hat-trick against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League three days later. With only three goals in his last eight games for Real Madrid, is Ronaldo’s influence at the Bernabéu diminishing?
Neymar
Much of the Neymar’s first season at FC Barcelona in 2013-14 was dominated by headlines regarding his transfer fee paid to ex-club Santos, investigations into payments made to the player’s father and endless speculation regarding his relationship with Messi.
He soon settled into the Catalan rhythm and last year began to show the reason why Barcelona were so willing to do whatever it took to sign him. He ended the season with 39 goals in all competitions, winning the treble along the way. So far this term he has filled the gap left by Messi’s knee injury, scoring 13 goals in 14 games and demonstrating astonishing pieces of skill along the way. A recent goal against Villarreal is a particular example of the flourishes of panache that Neymar is showing at present.
Best of the Rest
Robert Lewandowski
‘Lewangoalski’, as he has been christened by Bayern Munich fans this season, has been on red hot form. Scorer of 22 goals in 25 games for Bayern so far, Lewandowski has been on a scintillating goal-scoring run which has coincided with yet another Bayern Munich record-breaking start to a Bundesliga season. The highlight of his campaign — already full of stand-out moments — was against Wolfsburg at the Allianz Arena. With Lewandowski on the bench, Bayern were uncharacteristically losing at home at half time. Up stepped Lewandowski, who crashed home five goals in nine minutes after coming on as a half time substitute.
Arguably the most in-form number nine in world football at present, could he be rewarded with a place on the podium in January?
Luis Suarez
The third FC Barcelona player to be involved on the shortlist is Luis Suarez. The ex-Liverpool man has adjusted superbly to life in Spain, becoming an integral part in the success of the most potent front three in Spanish football history. Messi, Suarez and Neymar, dubbed the MSN by Spanish media, hit 122 goals between them last season eclipsing the 100 scored by the previous Barcelona record holders, Messi, Samuel Eto’o and Thierry Henry in 2009.
Suarez initially, unselfishly, positioned himself on the right of the three so as to not disrupt the established hierarchy within the side. It soon became evident that the best thing for the team was to play Suarez down the middle and Messi out wide. From January both he and Barcelona flourished;. From January 4th 2015 away to Real Sociedad until the Champions League final against Juventus, he played in 32 games scoring 22 times. His first season in Spain saw him finish with a personal return of 25 goals and 21 assists despite missing the first quarter due to a ban.
This season he has started where he left off with his work rate and desire obvious for all to see. In the ten game injury absence of Messi, he and Neymar have risen to the challenge and scored 23 goals between them. Suarez’s unselfish attitude has endeared him to his team-mates and the Barcelona fans alike. Finally, may there be some redemption Luis Suarez?
Thomas Müller has again been on great form for Bayern Munich this season. ‘Mr Goals’ — as he is affectionately known in Germany — had a great World Cup in 2014 and has continued that level of performance through 2015. Bayern have dominated the domestic scene in Germany and his contribution cannot be underestimated.
Paris Saint Germain forward Zlatan Ibrahimović recently became the Swedish footballer of the year for a record tenth time. Since he first was victorious in 2005, the only player to halt his run was Freddie Ljungberg in 2006. He has now won this award for the ninth year in a row. Ibrahimović became the record goal-scorer for PSG this season, overtaking previous record holder, Portuguese forward, Pauleta.
Eden Hazard swept the board of individual English football awards in 2015. He was voted PFA Player of the Year by his fellow professionals, Chelsea FC’s Player of the Year, Barclays Premier League Player of the Year and the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year. His personal performances was thoroughly deserving of the awards, as he led Chelsea to the 2014-15 Premier League and Capital One Cup titles. However, a tough start to the 2015-16 season with Chelsea may damage his chances of making it onto the Ballon d’Or podium.
This 2016 edition of the FIFA Ballon d’Or is likely to be a non-contest in terms of Lionel Messi’s outstanding contribution. But for the chasing pack, it’s wide open.
