The race for who becomes the next FIFA Best Player of the Year Award has commenced after the names of 10 potential candidates were announced on Wednesday by the world football governing body.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus), Frenkie De Jong (Holland/Barcelona), Matthijs de Ligt (Holland/Juventus), Eden Hazard (Belgium/Real Madrid), Harry Kane (England/Tottenham), Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool), Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris Saint-Germain), Lionel Messi (Argentina/ Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool) and Virgil van Dijk (Holland/Liverpool) are shortlisted candidates for the award.
However, with only one candidate to be named the winner of the prestigious award in Milan on 23 September, there is no doubt that every aforementioned player would at this point want to step up their game.
Soccernet takes a close look at Ronaldo’s possibility of winning this year’s award.
Having won the FIFA Ballon d’Or five times (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) and FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008, Ronaldo will be hoping to add this one to his cabinet of laurels.
There is no doubt that the Portuguese who joined the Italian club, Juventus ahead of the 2018-209 season had an impressive start to his new adventure. He was the key player in the team that won Supercoppa Italiana and Serie A this year.
He was club’s top scorer last season with 28 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions. Breaking down his goal statistics, Ronaldo scored 21 goals in 31 Serie A games, six goals in nine Champions League games, and other one goal.
Though Juventus were eliminated by Ajax in the quarter-final of the UEFA Champions League, Ronaldo’s hattrick against Atletico Madrid in Round of 16 will be one of the performances that the fans will never forget.
The Old Lady had suffered a 2-0 loss in the Round of 16 first leg before he stepped up for the team and went on to score a hattrick. With his hattrick, Juventus witnessed one of the greatest comebacks in Juventus history.
He was also named Serie A Most Valuable Player of the season as well.
Ronaldo also led Portugal to the inaugural UEFA Nations League Trophy. He scored an impressive hat-trick against Switzerland in the semi-final to secure a place in the final. The host played the Netherlands in the final and won. In doing so, Ronaldo won his second international trophy after winning the Euro Cup in 2016.
Without mincing words, there is no player on the list that could boast of Ronaldo’s achievements for both club and country in the 2018-2019 season.
By and large, the Portuguese international remains one of the major contenders for the Best Player Award but then, he must maintain his brilliant form when the new season resume in Italy to cart home the award.
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Ronaldo...an enigmatic enigma...
This is individual award idiots. Messi was ahead of everyone in individual performance. If you think Ronaldo deserves this award then you only watched Serie A and UNL semifinal and final. Look at other players stats also.
Ronaldo is far better than messi last season,if u consider messi to have performed exellently then i will ask this question, dribbling the whole payers and end up lossing, is that considered a best performace? u dont perform wen u loss ur games nor trophies,ronaldo is the best.
Ronaldo lost Italian golden boot to papa Quagliaeella n u want him to win world best.In your dreams
Grow sense dummy
Wow, like seriously d last tym I checked dis is base on individual performance. Messi was outstanding last season taking home pichichi(LA liga top scorer),champions league top scorer, European top scorer. WC our darling Mr Ronaldo couldn't meet let's wait till dis is bn announced. To me Van Dijk is good to go wen compared to Ronaldo.
Cristiano deserves the award winning supercup, serie A, serie A MVP and Uefa nations league with his country.
I initially thought the rest part of the world was blind CR7s exploits of last season.CR7 on had a better mix of both individual and team achievements last season
Ronaldo is the best because he inspires people. He is the most complete player ever. His work Ethic is just amazing. I also think messi is very good but u can’t put him ahead of Ronaldo.
Rinaldo deserves the award so messi go and sleep
Messi stats are good but won 1 trophy for club and country. For Argentina? AMAZING
Ronaldo won 3 trophies 2 club 1 country and his stats are not bad considering 1st season. He deserves it more than anyone else
Ronaldo deserve the award and I think he is the best of all.