Cristiano Ronaldo was the best soccer player on the planet and it’s a shame it took an extension of the Ballon d’Or voting deadline to show just how great Ronaldo was.
Although the Ballon d’Or is a sort of an odd award since it is voted on based on a player’s performance during the calendar year rather than the most recent season, Ronaldo proved that 2013 belonged to him. With 69 goals in just 59 games for club and country, Ronaldo was a world-beater in 2013.
https://twitter.com/Cristiano/status/422820406962044928
The two other finalists, three-time defending winner Lionel Messi, and Bayern Munich’s Frank Ribery, are certainly worthy of being named finalists, but their efforts simply fall flat in comparison to Ronaldo. It’s easy to start naming off all of Ronaldo’s achievements from 2013, and don’t worry we will get to those, but it’s also worth noting why Messi and Ribery don’t deserve the title of golden ball.
Messi, winner of the last three Ballon d’Or’s, has been hailed as the best player in the world. But, injuries sidelined Messi for large parts of last season and even parts of this season. Messi failed to impress last season when his team needed him most. Battling fitness and injury problems, Messi did just enough to get his Barcelona team past PSG in the Champions League quarterfinals, but his injury-plagued efforts came up short as Barcelona was embarrassed, 7-0, by Bayern Munich in the semifinals. Messi failed to even make an appearance in the second leg of the tie. Messi dealt with steep competition from Ronaldo when he won his past three Ballon d’Or’s, and the argument has always persisted of which player is better. With Messi missing extended time due to injury, it only seems fair that Ronaldo takes the reigns in 2013.
Franck Ribery was a part of the Bayern Munich team that brushed past Barcelona on its way to Champions League glory. Ribery won an astonishing five trophies with his Bayern teammates. It appears as if Ribery is simply the individual who is representing the team-inspired run of Bayern dominance. Ribery scored just 23 goals for club and country in 2013, but added in 22 assists. Ribery has shown to be an elite playmaker on the Bayern left wing, but with the likes of Arjen Robben, Mario Mandzukic, Thomas Muller, and Mario Gotze staples in the starting XI, it’s not difficult to see how Ribery racked up so many assists. Ribery has been in great form, but perhaps his biggest downside in terms of winning the Ballon d’Or is that he’s playing on a team full of other all-stars.
When pundits and casual fans alike watch Bayern dominate German and European soccer, people point out how deep and talented Bayern is at every position. As good as Ribery has been, he arguably isn’t even the best winger or player on his own team. It’s hard to prove you’re the best player in the world when you have the benefit of taking the field with a team of superstars. Messi had the star power and statistics to disprove my previous statement, but Ribery comes up just a bit short.
Although I may make it appear that Ronaldo deserves to win Ballon d’Or simply off the fact that the two other finalists are unworthy, but Ronaldo’s second “golden ball” has been a long time coming. Despite playing on a juggernaut Real Madrid team, Ronaldo still had to put the team on his back on occasions. With the likes of Karim Benzema misfiring up top, and Angel Di Maria being booed off the Bernabeau pitch from time to time, Ronaldo’s brilliance was needed to bail out Los Blancos time and time again.
Ronaldo’s unbelievable header gave Real Madrid a much needed draw in the first knockout round of the Champions League against Manchester United. Ronaldo has averaged right around one goal per game since his move to the Spanish capital, and in 2013 Ronaldo found a way to top that. While scoring ten more goals than games played, Ronaldo not only carried Real Madrid into the semifinals of the Champions League, the final of the Copa del Ray, and third place in La Liga, Ronaldo also put in an unbelievable effort for his national team, Portugal. Ronaldo scored a second half hat-trick against Northern Ireland during a World Cup qualifier in just 15 minutes. Perhaps Ronaldo’s best effort, and Ballon d’Or “clinching” moment was his effort against Sweden over a two-legged world cup playoff. Portugal was on the verge of missing out on the World Cup in Brazil, and needed to defeat Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sweden to clinch their birth. Ronaldo scored all four goals in the playoff, including an impressive second half hat trick in the second leg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtiLLPofwMg
In college football, people often look to a player’s “Heisman Moment” when trying to identify the most outstanding the year’s most outstanding player. In Ronaldo’s case, his defining moment came when his teammates needed him most. People are quick to criticize Ronaldo for his ego, and many will call him selfish when he drives a shot into the upper deck, but Ronaldo showed the world that he doesn’t under pressure, but rather thrives under it.
It is good for the soccer world that Ronaldo won the Ballon d’Or. It finally brings the spotlight back onto an immaculate player that has had an outstanding year.