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The 2018 Ballon d'Or ceremony just weeks away, Lionel Messi is currently among the favorites to take home the trophy for a record sixth time. If the Argentine manages to take home the trophy, it will be the first time he has won the prestigious trophy since 2015, and it would signal an end to Cristiano Ronaldo's recent domination.
Despite being among the favourites to take home the award, Messi is currently below the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann when it comes to betting odds. The 31-year-old, though, still has a great chance to take home the Ballon d'Or, and here we will look at the five reasons why Lionel Messi could be announced as the world's best player for a record sixth time in December.
#5 The award nearly always heads to Spain
La Liga remains the dominant force when it comes to the best football league in the world. The individual player quality cannot be found anywhere else, and the league is also home to a huge share of the best players on the planet. Barcelona and Real Madrid continue to dominate the league, however, the likes of Atletico and Sevilla have successfully demonstrated the depth in quality currently found in the league.
More importantly for Messi, over the last two decades, the Ballon d'Or has nearly always been awarded to a Spanish based player. The last player to win the award while playing in a different league was Kaka way back in 2007. By being the best player, in the worlds best league, Lionel Messi has positioned himself in a strong position to claim this year's title.
#4 Madrid's Poor Start
Real Madrid have endured one of their worst ever starts to a season, resulting in Julen Lopetegui being sacked after just 14 games in charge. Madrid's poor start to the season may also prove detrimental to the likes of Raphael Varane and Luka Modric, who were both among the initial favourites to win this year's Ballon d'Or.
Luka Modric was of course named FIFA player of the year back in September, however, his form, in particular, has been poor since then. With the Ballon d'Or likely to stay in Spain, Messi's path may have been ultimately cleared due to Madrid's recent struggles.
#3 It could be the last time to acknowledge Messi's brilliance
Messi is a five-time winner of the Ballon d'Or, however, he has won it just once in the last five years. The Argentine has largely been overlooked due to the prolific form of Cristiano Ronaldo, and 2018 may, in fact, represent the last time that Messi can realistically win the award.
The Barcelona star turned 31 over the summer and the Argentine struggled to find his best form for large periods of 2018. He has recently hit a purple patch again, however, Messi is likely to decline over the next few years due to his agility and speed fading as he ages.
The much younger Kylian Mbappe and Neymar are narrowing the gap every year, so it may be now or never for Messi to win the Ballon d'Or.
#2 Messi's late 2018 form
The Ballon d'Or is supposed to be awarded based on individual performances over a full calendar year. In reality, the award is often awarded to the most in-form player from the final months of the year. Memory always tends to favour recent events, and this is the time span where Messi has been at his brilliant best.
Messi endured a difficult World Cup, however, he has been at the peak of his powers since returning from Russia. The Argentine has hit 14 goals in just 13 matches, including 5 in just 2 Champions League appearances.
Messi's late year re-emergence has led many to forget his mixed performances during the first six months of 2018, and Ballon d'Or voters will instead be voting based on his sensational recent outings.
#1 Ronaldo's move to Juventus
Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Juventus after nearly 10 years with Real Madrid due to the 33-year-old's desire to challenge himself in a new league. It was a brave move so late on in his career, however, Ronaldo no longer has the spotlight of playing for Real Madrid.
The forward also faces a much more difficult challenge to maintaining his phenomenal goalscoring rate, as teams in Serie A tend to be a lot more defensive minded than their counterparts in La Liga.
The Portuguese forward has managed just 9 goals in 15 games since his move, a tally dwarfed by Messi's recent form. Ronaldo has also scored just once in the Champion's League, and this may have put the 5-time winner in a difficult position to win. No player has won the award whilst playing in Serie A since 2007, and Ronaldo's absence from La Liga may ultimately be Messi's gain come December 3rd.
