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#3 The Cristiano Ronaldo threat
Cristiano Ronaldo has been an ever-existing threat for Lionel Messi and the rivalry of these two megastars has most assuredly been one of the most fascinating in the sporting history.
For the Portuguese leading light, the early part of the 2017-18 season was unequivocally substandard as Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to create an impact on the pitch and looked out of his depth on several occasions.
However, the 33-year-old has been simply unstoppable since 2018 ticked over, terrorizing some of the most renowned rearguards effortlessly - and isn't that what primarily matters for the purposes of this award?
In 2018 itself, Cristiano Ronaldo has chalked up 34 goals and 6 assists having featured in 29 matches, easily outperforming his arch-rival - Lionel Messi.
On top of that, Ronaldo has recently completed a sensational move to Juventus which could further his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or as the Serie A is largely a one-horse race where Ronaldo can comfortably rack up many more goals and break a host of records. Alarming for Lionel Messi, isn't it?
