There were hardly any surprises when it comes to the three nominees for the FIFA 2015 Ballon d’Or award, which were announced on the Monday ceremony. The three players who are to compete over one of the most prestigious award in the sports world are Barcelona’s Lionell Messi and Neymar and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Still, it was the Brazilian Neymar who was regarded as the most unexpected entry in the trio, especially considering the other two long-lasting companions who have dominated the award since 2008.
It is yet unknown if Messi and Ronaldo’s stranglehold over Ballon d’Or is to continue in 2015, taking into account the fact that the Brazilian has proved he is a worthy nominee regardless of his young age. Currently, Messi is considered as the most likely to win the award, but only time will tell who is to come out victorious of the most fierce competition in football world.
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
The presence of the Argentinian on the shortlist for winning the award is a record on its own, considering the fact that Barcelona’s forward has been named as a finalist for ninth time. With a total of 13 game appearances in all competitions, 9 goals and 3 assists over the season so far, Messi remains one of the most successful football players ever.
His overall presence at the pitch during the 2015/2016 season so far is remarkable, especially taking in account that he suffered an injury that prevented him from playing for a couple of months. Last year, Messi allowed Ronaldo to surpass him, but he is now back to his best, which gives him all chances of winning the Best World’s Player title once again.
The truth is that his new, slightly deeper role in the ranks of Barcelona has helped him shine over the season. Being supported by Suis Suarez and Neymar, he was truly sublime in Barca’s performance in La Liga so far.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
The 30-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo also remains as one of the dominant nominees for the Ballon d’Or. The player’s goal-scoring record is truly amazing, considering the fact that the Portuguese became the highest scorer in Europe. He also commented on his performance over the season, saying this was probably the best season in his entire career.
Ronaldo has 20 games appearances, 4 assists and 16 goals scored, which put him in the ranks of the most efficient players over the season. However, he shared he expected Messi to win the award due to the great success of Barcelona over the season, which could certainly add weight to the club’s players Messi and Neymar.
Neymar (Barcelona)
At 23, Neymar is the youngest among this year’s nominees for the Ballon d’Or award. Up to date, he is regarded as one of the most-appreciated players in the Spanish grand, making 19 overall appearances over the season far and scoring 16 goals.
Nevertheless Neymar is still overshadowed by his team-mate Messi in the largest matches of La Liga No.1 team, his performance at the pitch is remarkable. It was in the second half of 2015 when the forward really shone, primarily due to the Messi’s absence. It was over the time when the Argentinian suffered an injury when the concerns how would Barcelona perform at the pitch were dispelled mainly to Neymar and Suarez.
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