Why Ronaldo Has The Edge Over Messi For Ballon d'Or

Portugal vs Sweden - but more eye-catchingly, Ronaldo vs Ibrahimovic. Two of the biggest names in world football went head to head on Tuesday night, to win a final place on that plane to Brazil for the World Cup 2014.

Ronaldo, one of, if not the, best player in world football right now, scored a sensational hatrick to end Sweden’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s World Cup.

Despite a thrilling two goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, which put Sweden 2-1 up on the night, Real Madrid’s number 9 responded excellently by, after scoring the first, scoring a further 2 goals in rather quick succession, to put Portugal 3-2 up and all but on that plane.

This heroic performance couldn’t have come at a better time for Cristiano Ronaldo, as on the same day, FIFA decided to extend the voting period for the Ballon d’Or 2013, putting coaches and captains of national teams on alert to vote for FIFA’s World Player of the Year 2014.

Lionel Messi of Barcelona who has won this award for the past 4 years, is side-lined with a hamstring injury until the end of the year and Bayern’s Frank Ribery, who has been a vital part of Bayern’s European domination, are seen as Ronaldo’s close competition for this fought-after trophy, but after this unthinkable hat-trick, Ronaldo has emerged as the clear-cut favourite to win the coveted award.

The 28-year-old has been in scintillating form this year, scoring 66 goals in all competitions, quite a way above any other player, and has accounted for nearly half of Real Madrid’s goals himself. Ronaldo is hoping that 2013 could be the year for him, 5 long years after he last won the trophy.

So, with Messi out injured until early 2014, and the voters getting a chance to alter their options, surely Ronaldo’s 3 goals, which have put him joint top on Portugal’s all-time top-scorer’s list with 47 goals, have given him the advantage over his closest rivals to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or this year and be titled with the World’s Player of the Year 2013.

Olivia Buzaglo.