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Is this the Messi - CR7 thread? Too many Messi or CR7 fans here but their fandom has no substance.
Now, if we are going to be talking about Ballon d' Or, my shortlist is gonna be:
1. First up on the list is CR7. Why? He won both Euro 2016 and UCL, although he was really non existent in the Euros. Ricardo Quaresma and Renato Sanches did most of the work and should be credited more for Portugal's Euro win. UCL is a different story. Ronaldo actually led Real Madrid to the UCL win. Scoring 16 goals and assisting 4 in 12 appearances. Impressive.
2. Antoine Greizmann. The Frenchman was vital in their Euro 2016 run, scoring 6 and assisting 2 goals, thus earning the Golden Boot. However, they lost in the finals against the guy in number 1, CR7. Second, UCL, paltry 7 goals but he the Rojiblancos to UCL final with Godin, only to lose against guess who again? CR7.
3. Neymar. Club winner. FIFA Club World Cup winner. Olympic gold winner. Scored 24 goals for Barcelona for club, 4 for Brasil for country.
Honorable mentions.
Messi. His scoring was affected when he was sidelined in the start of the 2015-2016 season. Thus less goals from him. When he was gone, Neymar and Suarez kept Barca winning anyway so Messi's injury was a non factor to the club. It only hurt his chances for Ballon D' Or nomination.
Robert Lewandowski. Polish goal machine for the team stationed at the Allianz Arena. Won silverware with them but not so impressive run in the Euros or UCL. What's impressive though is the 5 goals he scored against VFL Wolfsburg in 9 minutes. Not enough to get him to the Ballon D' Or shortlist.
Jamie Vardy. Impressive goal haul on the first half of the season. Scoring on 11 consecutive games to break Ruud Van Nistelroy's record. EPL winner. Not so impressive run in the Euros, mainly because Woy Hodgson doesn't play the lad much. Let's see his UCL run this year though. Mahrez was more impressive than Vardy though. So, sorry Jaime, no Vardy Party for you.
Now, Ballon D' Or is about silverware mostly. So lets count who won what.
CR7 - European Player of the Year, Euro 2016, UCL 2016, UCL Golden Boot. Euro 2016 Silver Boot
Griezmann - Euro 2016 Golden Boot, Euro 2016 Player of the Tournament
Neymar - La Liga, Copa Del Rey, Fifa Club World Cup, Olympic Gold Medal
Messi - La Liga, Copa Del Rey, Fifa Club World Cup
Lewandowski - DFB Pokal, Bundesliga winner
Vardy - EPL Trophy, breaking Ruud Van Nistelroy's record
Now, if you wanna ask me my all time favorite players? Oliver Khan, Eric Cantona, Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane, Alessandro Del Piero, Genaro Gattuso, Jurgen Klinsman (awesome player, alright coach), Romario, Roberto Carlos, Dennis "The Iceman" Bergkamp and last but not the least, Gianfranco Zola..