3 reasons why Ronaldo deserves to win the 2019 Ballon d'Or
Heading into the final weeks of the 2018/2019 season, Cristiano Ronaldo found himself in the unfamiliar position of not being considered worthy enough to be named the premier player in the world.
Numerous fans and pundits alike expressed opinions, that the Portuguese icon did not deserve the Ballon d'Or, with many of the thought that Netherlands and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk is a more worthy winner.
This is a peculiar case, as with five Ballon d'Or wins, the Juventus superstar is the joint-highest winner of the award, while has has always been on the podium every year since 2007, barring 2010.
However, for all the criticisms leveled at Ronaldo, it is pertinent to note that claims of his decline are greatly exaggerated and the Real Madrid record goalscorer is more than a worthy recipient of the 2019 Ballon d'Or. In this piece, we shall be highlighting three reasons why Ronaldo deserves to win the Ballon d'Or this year.
#3 He captained his nation to Nations League glory
The UEFA Nations League became the newest addition to international competitions when it was flagged off in September last year.
The tournament is an initiative by UEFA to increase competition between member nations and reduce the number of dead rubber friendlies during FIFA windows.
Despite starting off with strong consternation from fans and coaches, the tournament finally won fans over, with the upsets and intriguing results posted during the group stage helping to pique interest.
Amidst the complex formalities involving relegation and promotion, the major takeout was that the trophy was going to be contested by four teams, with the quartet who topped their groups in League A advancing to the semifinal.
As it happened, that turned out to be Netherlands, England, Switzerland and hosts Portugal, with Portugal progressing to the final after dispatching Switzerland in the semifinal courtesy a Ronaldo hat-trick and going on to lift the first ever edition of the Nations League in front of their home fans.
This meant that Ronaldo has captained his side to two major trophies in three years and given that he tasted success on the club scene as well as the international stage, he seems to have done enough to stake a claim for his sixth Ballon d'Or.