On Wednesday, Lionel Messi quieted critics who were complaining that he was undergoing a "crisis" with a beautiful flick from his left foot that gave Barcelona a 3-0 aggregate lead against Manchester City.
Messi's resurgence will obviously lead to conversations about whether he will be able to recover the Ballon d'Or that he lost earlier this year against hated rival Cristiano Ronaldo. But is Messi really the top contender for the award?
He has scored 14 goals in his first 17 games this season in all competitions; all the goals have come while playing for Barcelona. Earlier in the year, Messi managed to score in six straight games, emphasizing his return to form. In Wednesday's match, he did not only score the key goal, but singlehandedly dominated the Manchester City defense. He seemed fearless about running at the defense through the middle of the pitch; in the process he opened up space for his teammates and disorganized Manuel Pellegrini's side.
His great rival Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 13 goals in 2014, but has done so in just 15 matches; he was also suspended for three Spanish League matches and there is little doubt that he would have added to his totals if he had played in those games. Moreover, Ronaldo has scored two of 13 goals for his international side, something that Messi has failed to do this year.
Earlier this year, Latinos Post commented on who the potential favorites to win the award were. Among the other players listed were Neymar, Franck Ribery and Luis Suarez. How do these players look three months into the year?
Luis Suarez has cooled off significantly in 2014 and has just scored five goals. However, he has been a perennial leader for Liverpool and has assisted on six goals for his club this year. Suarez is likely to pick up his scoring totals as the season wears on and Liverpool's eventual placement in the English Premier League standings will likely be the result of his own performance. Of course, his contention in the award may come down to personality and it is possible that his divisive personality could ultimately deter voters.
Neymar's contention for the award will likely come down to his play in the World Cup. However, he will need to improve his club form if he has any hopes of winning the award. He has scored four goals in 2014; only one of those has come in a Barcelona sweater. Neymar has looked uncomfortable playing for the Spanish side and has become increasingly invisible on the pitch. Consider him a dark horse at this stage unless he pulls off some magic at the World Cup and improves his play for Barcelona.
Ribery has only played four matches in 2014 and has suffered from injuries. He can still become a contender for the award, but it seems like 2013 was his big shot at winning. Instead his Bayern Munich teammate Arjen Robben is garnering a lot more attention for his brilliant play for club and country. Robben has five goals in 10 games for Munich in 2014 and singlehandedly destroyed Arsenal in the Champions League. While he was not always the best player in the matchup, his ruthless speed disoriented the English side and led to two penalty shots. While his teammates were unable to convert either, his ability to create those scoring chances showcased his prowess.
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