If the Ballon d’Or is truly done on merit, this has to be Ronaldo’s year
In football, results matter. So do goals and trophies, not to mention individual performances.
Now, as we head into the final stages of voting for the world player of the year, it seems that there can only be one winner. The man who plays his trade in Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo.
The winner of the last four Ballon d’Or’s, Leo Messi, has not been a patch on Ronaldo of late, and is currently sitting the rest of the first half of the season out through injury.
That does not even mention the fact that Ronaldo has literally dragged his country to the World Cup and is actually getting better if that is possible.
Franck Ribery makes up the other rival for the award, and yes, it cannot be denied that last season belonged to Bayern Munich, but that is precisely the point. Bayern Munich. Not Franck Ribery. The winger was very good, yes, but was not the only star in the side. He certainly does not deserve the accolade of world player of the year. Bayern do deserve world team of the year, but that is a different matter altogether.
Scoring 66 goals this year in 55 appearances thus far in 2013, Cristiano Ronaldo has had a perfect year. The numbers are sensational. His two closest rivals have found the back of the net 64 times in 2013. Combined.
Ronaldo managed to score all four goals in the playoffs against Sweden and to say he dragged his side to Brazil is actually an understatement. He is Portugal. Franck Ribery is not France, and Leo Messi is certainly not Argentina.
Ronaldo has often been accused of failing to perform on the International stage. Well after the playoffs, that comment seems a little redundant to say the very least. His performances in the Champions League and also La Liga have again been second to none, and the statistics are mind blowing.
Ronaldo himself has scored far more goals than several prolific strike partnerships combined – those include Leo Messi and Neymar, not to mention Edinson Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. He has also scored more than ten of the sides in La Liga.
Put simply, he is a goal machine, and one who specialises in hat-tricks. Five have been netted this season so far, not to mention scoring in 16 out of 19 appearances in all competitions. It is now taken as a given that Ronaldo will score at least once in a game. He has become sensational and actually elevated himself to an even greater level.
If the Ballon d’Or is actually done on merit and is for individual brilliance, as we are told, Ronaldo has to win it. Voting has been extended and the Portuguese forward should have sealed the trophy after his International performances – which even had the ego himself Zlatan Ibrahimovic applauding.
It is well documented that Sepp Blatter prefers the angel from Barcelona – but frankly, the man who wears white for his club has been the one who has lit up the footballing world this season. If FIFA want to hold onto the little credibility they actually have left, it is Ronaldo who has to lift the world player of the year award. End of.
Do you think Ronaldo should lift the Ballon d’Or? Let us know your thoughts below.
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10 years ago
From another woman’s’perspective.
Agreed on Ribery. Well accounted for and dismissed for the top vote. Will not add more.
Now let us review the magnificent CR7, the most handsome football athlete to find around nowadays. And the start of this piece was brilliant and I quote: ” In football, results matter. So do goals and trophies, not to mention individual performances.”
RESULTS MATTER: No title for CR7 and team in 2013. The SuperCup was won last year. So a dry season. Nothing much to mention. A white-clad football god-like athlete with a dry white season for his white house.
SO DO GOALS AND TROPHIES: That missing goal against BVB at the Bernabeu would have sent the white-clad team on the larger scene to fight for La Decima. CR7 did not score THAT One which a tired Dortmund team had virtually conceded. Goals matter. The missed ones even more. Trophies not won also, though they could matter less.
PERFORMANCES: CR7 literally dragged his country to the World Cup. Indeed he did. After letting it fall in the losers gutter. A brilliant performance at the ultimate playoffs is a mere retribution for earlier failings. Awarding a prize just on the account of these 4 goals AFTER the vote had actually closed – then reopened in between would be equal to handing a prize to the lazy boy of the class who barely managed to pass the last exam. Congratulations are in order. But no prize deserved. Not for Ribery, nor CR7. Would be too easy to award players who drag their feet at the start of a season, a competition and boom do the final goals on the last given chance.
A GOAL MACHINE just like and after the GoalFather himself (we know who that is). We have seen him with great joy and .. -much disappointment to see another yet shortcoming in the Clasico, recriminating after a non-granted penalty instead of, well scoring by working at it…
Ronaldo is a having a good year and hopefully – let us keep fingers crossed that he can surpass Pele’s’count of 75 goals in a calendar year, despite having to miss a match or 2 because of an earlier Roja @ the Copa del Rey. Another unnecessary stain vs a Madrid foe…
CR7 fully deserves a second Ballon d’Or award… A year from now after keeping and making the best of his present good form for himself and his white-clad team. And after keeping us amazed a little longer with no more deceptions at the finish line. Until then, all the best to the best Portuguese and Madrid player around.
And so the case remains open for WHO might be given the 2013 BO accolade. And chances are that with the latest FIFA amazing tricks, that question might never come to a close. Because Blatter and co seem to be messing it up for us all. And for France Football mostly.
10 years ago
The man is a football genius and it would be travesty if this years award does not go to him. Anyone who subscribes to the idea that a players team HAS to win major trophies for the award to be made is missing the point altogether.
If CR7 does not win it , it will be down to politics not football.