El Clasico: 5 reasons why Ronaldo will outshine Messi

#2 Everything to lose for Ronaldo

There is everything to lose for him

And this is where his personal glory also unfolds. If Madrid win, Cristian Ronaldo wins. All the individual honours that he won in his career has Madrid’s trophies as a base—except in 2013—and the Galacticos will have to do well and win titles for the former Manchester United man to be up there in the Ballon d’Or podium next year.

For every player, winning the Ballon d’Or is a special thing, no matter how much he denies it. And in the case of the former Sporting starlet, the highest individual honour holds a high place in his mind. After losing the Ballon d’Or to Messi for four years in a row, he was seemingly exasperated, with him claiming that he often felt demotivated.

“I won the Ballon d’Or before Messi, then he overtook me and won four in a row,” he said after lifting his 5th Ballon d’Or.

“I’m not going to hide from you that I was sad and angry. I went to the award ceremonies and I never won. At one point, I was even demotivated. I had no desire to go. To be there for the photo didn’t interest me.

“Then, little by little, thanks to those close to me, I told myself that in life there is a beginning and an end. And in football what counts is the finish, not the start. I was patient. And I won four other Ballons d’Ors.”

Why am I bringing this all up? Because… if Real Madrid lose on the 24th, they lose La Liga, which automatically reduces the Portuguese’s chances to win the Ballon d’Or next year—and he wouldn’t want that!