5 reasons why Neymar must wait for the Ballon d'Or

#4 Goal scoring consistency

Paris Saint-Germain v RSC Anderlecht - UEFA Champions League — Neymar has scored 23 goals this season

If you observe the past 10 years, you will discover that the winners of the Ballon d'Or racked up lots of goals. For example, Messi and Ronaldo have consistently maintained large goal ratios each season.

Scoring 40, 50 and 60+ goals every season will be a great challenge for Neymar, given that he is more of a creator than a scorer. Considering this season, Neymar has scored 23 goals in 28 matches with a goal ratio of 0.82 goal(s) per match. Meanwhile, Messi has scored 35 goals in 38 matches with a goal ratio of 0.92 per match while Ronaldo has scored 36 goals in 32 matches with a goal ratio of 1.1 per match.

This will be a great challenge for not just Neymar, but anyone who dares to challenge the two kings.

About the author

Jidonu is a European and international football news writer at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and has around 7 years of previous experience working with the likes of Tribuna and SportRaba, Jidonu has a good eye for detail and has the ability to created cohesive articles, and reporting exploits have also led him to exclusively cover the 2018 FIFA World Cup in the past.

Jidonu’s tryst with football started after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Germany, being mesmerized by Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Barcelona philosophy and approach towards the game under Pep Guardiola further fueled the burgeoning love for the sport, and he has been a Culer ever since.

Unsurprisingly, Lionel Messi is his favorite player and is the one true GOAT for him over Cristiano Ronaldo. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final, where Messi's brace led to La Albiceleste lifting the cup left a lasting impact on him. His love for Messi also sees him follow Major League Soccer apart from Europe’s top five leagues.

In his free time, Jidonu raps and produces music, and also enjoys reading and swimming.

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Edited by Anthony Akatugba Jr.