Ballon d'Or 2020: Why Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to win the award
Widely regarded as the most popular sportsman on the planet, Cristiano Ronaldo has been the face of football for over a decade now.
The forward’s insatiable appetite to be the best has sustained his success at the very top of the game in several countries. Instagram’s most-followed celebrity has revolutionised Juventus’ standing in the game, turning them into one of the most followed and watched teams on the planet.
Even at the age of 35, Cristiano Ronaldo is still in the conversation as one of the best players in the world. This season, he has shown no signs of slowing down, and has carried Juventus to the top of Serie A.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony is set to take place in a couple of months and the winner will ultimately be decided based on the conclusion of this stop-start season. Even in the midst of a disrupted campaign, Cristiano Ronaldo has still managed to stand out from the rest of Europe.
Why Cristiano Ronaldo should win the 2020 Ballon d'Or
For the past 10 years, Cristiano Ronaldo has had an epic tug of war over the Ballon d’Or with long-time nemesis Lionel Messi. The duo have dominated the award, winning it 11 times between them.
The duopoly was only broken recently by Luka Modric in 2018 to the shock of the world. However, this season, there is no doubt that the Portuguese icon should be crowned as the world’s best.
So far this season, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 32 goals in 40 games, whilst providing 5 assists, meaning the 35-year-old has averaged a goal or assist every 95 minutes this season. That’s a level of consistency that not many in the world can match, let alone top. Playing in a dysfunctional Maurizio Sarri side, Ronaldo has had to produce moments of magic with the help of only Paulo Dybala.
If you were to put the likes of Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, or Kevin De Bruyne in this Juventus side, they might struggle, as Sarri has no defined attacking philosophy. Ronaldo has only thrived because he rises to the occasion in any scenario, as he takes it upon himself to lead others.
It’s hard to put into words the exploits of Ronaldo this season. Earlier in the year, he equalled the record of scoring in the most consecutive Serie A games (11). If that wasn’t enough, the 35-year-old is now the highest-scoring Portuguese player in Serie A history – he’s only been there for two seasons!
Ballon d’Ors are often awarded to players who are instrumental to their team’s success. That’s why Ronaldo is a 5-time winner - he’s been a pivotal component of several UCL winning campaigns.
This year will be no different, as Cristiano Ronaldo will lead his teammates to their ninth successive Scudetto. However, to confirm beyond all doubt that he’s the deserved 2020 Ballon d’Or winner, he must do what he was brought to Italy for - win the Champions League.
Also check out: Messi vs Ronaldo complete stats