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Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or a whopping five times. At the age of 38, it's going to take a mammoth effort for him to be recognized as the world's best player once again. But it might also just be too early to write him off.
The Portuguese legend might have checked out of Europe's top five leagues but that doesn't mean he has checked out of the race for the Ballon d'Or. Ronaldo has been tearing it up for his new club Al-Nassr of late. If he can keep this up, one of the game's greatest goalscorers will break even more goalscoring records.
He will also add plenty more silverware to his collection and that will place him as a strong contender for the 2023 Ballon d'Or. Without further ado, let's take a look at five reasons why Ronaldo could be a strong contender for the 2023 Ballon d'Or award.
#5 Ronaldo could finish as the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League this season
Ronaldo left Manchester United via mutual consent at the end of December 2022. He signed for Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Nassr. After taking a couple of games to settle down and get used to his new team's style of play, Ronaldo is now starting to look unstoppable.
He has already scored eight goals in five league appearances in addition to providing two assists. Ronaldo is already sixth on the list of top goalscorers in the league this term. If he can keep up his current form, the Portuguese icon might just finish the 2022-23 season as the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League.
It would be an incredible achievement for Ronaldo as he joined the club almost halfway through the season. If he can finish the season as the top scorer in the league, the 38-year-old will have handed himself a massive boost in the race for the Ballon d'Or.
#4 Ronaldo could win the league title
Ronaldo has played a direct hand in all of Al-Nassr's last 10 goals. He has simply been phenomenal for the Saudi Pro League side. Al-Nassr are currently at the top of the league table and given the form they are in, they seem to be well on course to win the league title.
If Ronaldo kicks on like this, he will finish the season as Al-Nassr's most influential player and could very well be recognized as the best player of the season. That seems possible given the kind of form he has exhibited for Al-Nassr in recent weeks.
#3 He could make a serious bid to break Messi's record for most goals in a calendar year
Ronaldo has been scoring goals for fun in recent weeks. He has scored two hat tricks in his last three outings. The Portuguese icon seems to be operating at a different level compared to his Saudi Pro League peers.
If Ronaldo continues to find the back of the net at this rate, he could go on to pose a serious threat to Messi's record of most goals in a calendar year. The Argentinian legend scored 91 goals in 2012, the most by any player in a year.
If Ronaldo can break this record this year, it will be impossible not to consider him a serious contender for the 2023 Ballon d'Or.
#2 Ronaldo's involvement in the national team could increase
Roberto Martinez was appointed as the head coach of the Portuguese national team in January. He replaced Fernando Santos, who seems to have stopped relying on Ronaldo as the team's chief goalscorer during his final months.
Santos dropped Ronaldo to the bench and went in favor of younger and more dynamic forwards. But with Martinez's entry, Ronaldo could get another lease of life in the Portuguese national team. The dressing room could definitely use his leadership skills and young players can learn a lot from him.
His newfound form is likely to earn him a place on the national team again. If he can replicate this form on the international front, Ronaldo will once again be regarded as one of the best center-forwards in the game. This will help him make a case for himself in the race for the 2023 Ballon d'Or.
#1 Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe could get eliminated from the Champions League soon
As far as Ronaldo's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or are concerned, it's important that his competition stumbles along the way. Lionel Messi and his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe are two of the strongest contenders for the Ballon d'Or this year.
Winning the Champions League in addition to their other achievements will ensure nobody beats the two players to the prestigious prize this year. However, PSG are currently in a precarious position in the Champions League after conceding a 1-0 loss at home to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie.
If Messi and Mbappe get eliminated in the Round of 16, they will no longer be untouchable in the race for the 2023 Ballon d'Or.
