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The Ballon d'Or is the single greatest laurel an individual player can win in the world of football. It signifies excellence and bestows its winner with the certification of being the best footballer in the world.
Before a winner is decided, the nominee list is condensed to a 3-man list. Nominations for the Ballon d'Or usually include players who have had an exceptional year individually, as well as with respect to the player's teams' success over the course of the year.
Over the past decade, a certain superstar pair has laid siege to the ultimate title. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - two inhuman footballers. Two individuals with abilities that most others can only dream of.
ALSO READ: Ballon d'Or Power Ranking: October 2018
The duo have won 5 Ballons d'Or apiece in the last 10 years, rendering all other players irrelevant when it comes to declaring the best player in the world. Of the two, Cristiano Ronaldo was the first to win it in 2008 before Lionel Messi won it at the age of 22 in 2009. He then made history by winning it 4 times in a row between 2009 and 2012.
Since 2012, Ronaldo has won it 4 times, while Messi has won it once - and both currently have 5 Ballons d'Or each to their names.
The two of them are still very much the best in the game. However, this year should see the dominant duopoly shattered, and another player awarded the Ballon d'Or due to a number of reasons.
On that note, here is a look at 4 reasons why neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi should win the Ballon d'Or this year:
#4 Time to move on
Make no mistake, we are truly blessed to have witnessed the magic produced by Messi and Ronaldo over the past decade. It has certainly been a privilege to have existed in the same era. For the last ten years, these two have established themselves at the top of the footballing food chain, rendering every other player and their performances as background noise.
However, for the good of the sport and all others participating in it, it is necessary to acknowledge greatness apart from this duopoly. With both players potentially approaching the twilight of their respective careers, now would be the perfect time to move on.
Opening up the race to the Ballon d'Or would not just bring out the best of all other aspiring players, but also provide this legendary rivalry with balanced closure.
After all, the award for the world's best player shouldn't be restricted to two superhuman beings. It's time to give other players a true shot at being called or becoming, the best in the world.
#3 Poor World Cup campaigns
As mentioned above, not only does a player's performance decide the nominations, but also the impact they had for their respective teams. As such, while nominating players for the award, trophies and titles won by the player's club and national team are taken into consideration.
Now, the undeniably biggest tournament of this year was the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The quadrennial competition was this year's grandest and biggest event. Alas, neither Ronaldo nor Messi managed to make it their own.
Messi's Argentina bowed out against France in the Round-of-16 while Ronaldo's Portugal bowed out to Uruguay in the same round. Now, both superstars may have won significant silverware with their respective clubs, but failure to do so with their national sides is bound to have an adverse effect on their chances at winning the Ballon d'Or this year.
#2 Dip in individual numbers
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still very much exemplary and score more often than not. But, there's simply no denying that both of them have begun to descend from their respective peak forms.
The 2017-18 season wasn't the best for both superstars. In fact, it was far from it, for various reasons. Make no mistake, both players were still surreal to watch and their skills remain unmatched. However, taking numbers into consideration, things look a bit bleaker.
It was arguably Messi's worst season at Barcelona since he became a regular. While his tally of 45 goals and 15 assists from 54 matches across all competitions are nothing short of impressive, it has been his worst.
In the past, other than the 2008-09 season when he was only beginning to establish his name, Messi has never played 50+ goals and scored fewer goals than he did last season. This could also be influenced by the recent need for Messi to sit deeper than usual to orchestrate the attack. However, talking numbers, last season wasn't his best.
On the other hand, Ronaldo's numbers over the last couple of years have been his worst since the 2009-10 season - when he moved to Real Madrid. While his tally of 44 goals and 9 assists from 44 matches in all competitions is also impressive, a bulk of the damage control was done in the Champions League.
In La Liga, Ronaldo's goal tally of 26 goals is his joint worst tally - equalled only by his very first season at the club. Of course, this certainly does have to do with former manager, Zinedine Zidane's team rotation. Conversely, it allowed Ronaldo to excel in the Champions League, forcing his league numbers to drop as low as they did.
If now isn't the time to give someone else a fair chance at the trophy, when is?
#1 Other footballers have staked better claims this year
Neither Messi nor Ronaldo won the unassailable treble this year - Messi and Barcelona won last season's LaLiga and Copa del Rey and this season's marginally significant Spanish Super Cup, while Ronaldo and Real Madrid won the more significant 3rd consecutive UEFA Champions League trophy last season, thereby making it hard to pick between the duo when it comes to trophies and the club's success.
On the other hand, this year witnessed certain other players stake their claim for the award by winning a fair bit of silverware and/or having a much more drastic impact for their teams.
Consider Kylian Mbappe, for example - the French teenager moved to Paris Saint-Germain ahead of last season on loan, before subsequently winning the domestic treble consisting of last season's Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and this season's French Super Cup.
He also won the FIFA World Cup with France - something neither Ronaldo or Messi accomplished - while playing an impactful role in all these victories.
Luka Modric is another. He too won the UEFA Champions League with Ronaldo at Real Madrid. However, he also stunningly led Croatia to the final of the World Cup - again, something neither Messi or Ronaldo accomplished.
And then there's someone like Raphael Varane. At the heart of France's and Real Madrid's defence has been the World Cup and Champions League winning defender. He has won the two most significant trophies - one with the club, and one with the country - in the very same year.
