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#2 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Barcelona captain Lionel Messi started out as the overwhelming favourite to win a record sixth Ballon d'Or. The mercurial Argentine leads the European goal-scoring charts with 34 goals and is the likeliest player to win the Golden Shoe, ahead of second-placed Kylian Mbappe.
In all competitions, the 31-year-old boasts of having scored a staggering 48 goals, despite having picked up an injury early this year.
Messi's goal-scoring exploits this season helped the Catalan giants to a second consecutive La Liga title, which initially looked like the first step towards a fantastic treble, considering the Copa del Rey final and Champions League semi-final that the team had secured weeks ago.
A Champions League disaster last week, however, has put all plans to complete a treble to a stand-still while also handing a significant blow to Messi's Ballon d'Or chances.
Barcelona squandered a three-goal lead against Liverpool in the second leg of their semi-final fixture at Anfield to give the Reds yet another opportunity at European glory.
Had the Argentine inspired his side to the Champions League finals, he would have remained the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or.
