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Heading into the final weeks of the 2018/2019 season, Cristiano Ronaldo found himself in the unfamiliar position of not being considered worthy enough to be named the premier player in the world.
Numerous fans and pundits alike expressed opinions, that the Portuguese icon did not deserve the Ballon d'Or, with many of the thought that Netherlands and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is a more worthy winner.
This is a peculiar case, as with five Ballon d'Or wins, the Juventus superstar is the joint-highest winner of the award, while has has always been on the podium every year since 2007, barring 2010.
However, for all the criticisms leveled at Ronaldo, it is pertinent to note that claims of his decline are greatly exaggerated and the Real Madrid record goalscorer is more than a worthy recipient of the 2019 Ballon d'Or. In this piece, we shall be highlighting three reasons why Ronaldo deserves to win the Ballon d'Or this year.
#3 He captained his nation to Nations League glory
The UEFA Nations League became the newest addition to international competitions when it was flagged off in September last year.
The tournament is an initiative by UEFA to increase competition between member nations and reduce the number of dead rubber friendlies during FIFA windows.
Despite starting off with strong consternation from fans and coaches, the tournament finally won fans over, with the upsets and intriguing results posted during the group stage helping to pique interest.
Amidst the complex formalities involving relegation and promotion, the major takeout was that the trophy was going to be contested by four teams, with the quartet who topped their groups in League A advancing to the semifinal.
As it happened, that turned out to be Netherlands, England, Switzerland and hosts Portugal, with Portugal progressing to the final after dispatching Switzerland in the semifinal courtesy a Ronaldo hat-trick and going on to lift the first ever edition of the Nations League in front of their home fans.
This meant that Ronaldo has captained his side to two major trophies in three years and given that he tasted success on the club scene as well as the international stage, he seems to have done enough to stake a claim for his sixth Ballon d'Or.
#2 He still delivered when it mattered most
When detractors want to back up their claim that Ronaldo is not deserving of the Ballon d'Or, they are quick to point out that he scored 'just' 28 goals in all competitions and failed to lead Juventus to Champions League glory which is why he was bought to Turin in the first place.
However, given his advancing age and adaptability to a new league, it would be foolhardy to expect the same level of performance from previous years.
Moreover, it is pertinent to note that throughout the course of the season, Ronaldo has always stepped up to be counted on the stages when it mattered most.
It was his well-taken header in December last year which decided the 2018 Super Coppa Italia in Juventus' favor over AC Milan in Saudi Arabia to hand him his first trophy in Bianconeri colors.
Fast forward three months; with Juventus' Champions League hopes in the balance having posted a 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the first leg, there was Ronaldo again, rising to the occasion.
Against a defensively solid side like Atletico having a 2-0 lead to protect against any other team or player in the world, the tie is practically over, but that is not the case with Ronaldo as he has shown over the years.
In the last eight, he overcame injury setbacks to score goals in both legs for Juventus and even though that was not enough to stop their elimination, it was not for his lack of trying, as he was the only player who scored goals in the knockout stage for the club.
On the international scene as well, he shone brightly. He sat out all of Portugal's group stage matches of the Nations League having taken a well deserved break from national duties since the 2018 Word Cup, but he returned in all his glory in the semifinal fixture, scoring a hat-trick (his seventh for Portugal and 53rd in his career) to take Portugal to the final of the Nations League where they ultimately triumphed.
Over the years, Ronaldo has proven to be arguably the biggest big-game player in history and he once more stepped to the plate last season so is more than deserving of the Ballon d'Or.
#1 Not many players can genuinely lay claim to have outperformed him last season
A name which has been mentioned more than others as the most deserving winner of the 2019 Ballon d'Or is that of Virgil van Dijk and rightly so, as the 26-year-old has been exceptional since arriving Liverpool.
However, while taking nothing away from his extreme importance to Liverpool's transformation, claims of his input are exaggerated and it could be argued that the signing of Alisson was more important in solving the Red's defensive woes than that of the Dutchman.
Moreover, for all of his displays, van Dijk has only the Champions League to show for his efforts. The final of the Nations League pitted him up against Ronaldo and gave him an opportunity to captain his side to the trophy.
For his part, Lionel Messi is the only player who has been on Ronaldo's level over the last decade and would always be in the running for personal awards.
Nevertheless, despite performing brilliantly throughout the campaign and winning a host of individual accolades, the Argentine legend came up short in the Champions League and Copa del Rey, having only La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup to show for his services this season.
This is the same as Ronaldo (who has an edge with an international trophy).Perhaps leading his side to Copa America glory in Brazil would strengthen Messi's claim for a sixth Ballon d'Or.
Elsewhere, there are not many players who can genuinely lay a strong claim to the award. Kylian Mbappe suffered heartbreak both in domestic cup competitions and in the Champions League, while he was powerless to stop France's no-show in the Nations League. The same can be said for Griezmann.
Eden Hazard did not star on the biggest stages, while Mane and Salah have only the Champions League trophy to show and might need to win the upcoming African Nations Cup to lay their marker.
Raheem Sterling was arguably the standout player in Manchester City's domestic conquest, but he also suffered continental pain, while also not stepping up on the international scene with England in the Nations League.
For Ronaldo not to win the 2019 Ballon d'Or, it means that there has to have been a player who significantly outperformed him across all competitions, but a holistic look around Europe would reveal that there are not too many players in this regard.
