Three reasons Messi will win the Ballon d'Or this season

#2-No international competitions to weigh Messi down

The lack of major international tournaments in the 2018-19 season bodes well for Messi

Let's face it, Lionel Messi has not been able to generate the kind of impact he does for Barcelona, in the Argentina jersey. There are multiple reasons for this including rampant mismanagement in the Argentina Football Association and lack of quality in fellow Argentina players. Despite dragging Argentina to the 2014 World cup finals and the 2015 and 2016 Copa Amerca finals, the magisterial Messi has never won any major trophy with the Albiceleste.

Messi lost out on the Ballon d'Or last year as World Cup winners Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe along with World Cup finalist Luka Modric scored better. Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2014 Ballon d'Or primarily thanks to his heroics as Portugal lifted the European Championship trophy. Thus, the lack of major international tournaments in the 2018-19 season bodes well for Messi's chances to lift the Ballon d'Or.