One thing is for sure about this year’s Ballon D’Or winner whomever it is, and that is that he plays his club ball in Spain. Other than that, no one can say that any of the three candidates; Messi, Neymar or Ronaldo is head and shoulders above the rest.

A case can be made for each player, Ronaldo has scored more goals this year than the other two, Messi and Neymar both have won three trophies with Barcelona this year to Ronaldo’s zero, Messi advanced to the Copa America title game and Neymar has carried Barcelona for the start of this season while Messi was injured. 

Diving deeper however, we can possibly shine some light as to who the trophy will go to.

Messi

Winner of four in a row from 2009-2012, many have tipped him to be the favorite for 2015, and it would not be a bad choice. He’s easy to vote for, he isn’t as brash or cocky as Ronaldo seems to be, and any time he touches the ball can be a historical moment.

Also working in the Argentine’s favor is Barça’s club success in 2015 winning the treble in Spain. This year the Catalans took home the La Liga title, Copa del Rey championship and won the Champions League, defeating a strong Juventus side.

Both he and Neymar hold an advantage over Ronaldo for international performance, as they both played in their major continental championship this summer. Though the edge might go to Messi on this one as well as his Argentina squad advanced to the title game – losing to hosts Chile – although the diminutive forward netted but one goal in the competition.

Neymar

Neymar takes a back seat to Messi as the man at Barcelona, as he should, which hinders him a bit here. In addition, his Brazil side has not done well in recent years, and an early exit from the Copa America tournament did not help him pull closer to Messi in terms of international team success either.

Though what he has done so far this season for his club has been quite impressive. And a late year surge to win the Ballon D’Or has precedent as recently as 2013, when Ronaldo won the award for the second time.

Ronaldo willed his Portugal team into the World Cup going on a ferocious goal-scoring tear to qualify for one of the last spots to Brazil. His performance was so amazing that FIFA decided to extend the voting period for voters to take into account his late year display and possibly change their votes in his favor.

While Neymar hasn’t exactly dazzled like Ronaldo did that year, he is the leading goal scorer in Spain at the moment. And it could be his recent performance that sticks in voters minds and earns him an outside shot at hoisting the trophy.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Though the two-time incumbent, 2015 has not been good to his club, Real Madrid. They finished the 2014-15 season with no trophies, blowing their lead for the Spanish league title and then losing to Juventus in the semi-finals of the Champions League tournament.

Although his club may not have had much success, Ronaldo had more individual success than either of his two contemporaries in 2015.

At the end of the 2014-15 campaign, Ronaldo finished as Spain’s Pichichi or leading goal scorer for the second year in a row. He also took home the European Golden Boot as the top goal scorer in Europe for a record fourth time. Needless to say he scored more goals in 2015, 66, than either Messi or Neymar.

But his start to the 2015-16 season has not started as he left off last season. He isn’t among the top scorers in La Liga, and has not found the back of the net a the rate he has enjoyed previously with Real Madrid. Although his Champions League number are incredible, with 11 goals in group stages alone, he has not looked as unstoppable as years past.

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Normally, voters weigh team achievements heavily. That said, the award should go to one of the Barcelona boys, with Ronaldo and Real Madrid coming up trophy-less this year.

With that in mind one would have to say Messi will take home his fifth Ballon D’Or award. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Switzerland on Jan. 11, 2016.

Photo: Flickr