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Ranking the 30 Ballon d’Or nominees

By Carter Mulvihill

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 nominees Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid answer media questions during the FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 nominees Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid answer media questions during the FIFA Ballon dOr 2015 press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) /
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14. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Manchester United takes a throwin during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 23, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 23: Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Manchester United takes a throwin during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on October 23, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) /

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has never made a habit of over-staying his welcome with any one club, but perhaps PSG wish he did.

After three seasons of scoring among the Ligue 1 elite, Ibrahimovic took things to a new level with 38 league goals as the Parisian club cruised to a title. Add in five Champions League goals and it’s safe to say the Swede certainly made his final year in France count.

If there’s one thing holding Ibrahimovic back from making a serious challenge for the Ballon d’Or this season, it’s the overall weakness of Ligue 1 itself. While there’s no denying his ability, it’s a bit harder to take his 38 league goals at face value given the lack of competition PSG faced week-to-week.

This season, Ibrahimovic is unlikely to net anywhere near 38 goals given the depth and physicality of the EPL. With four in nine games for a struggling Red Devils squad, Ibrahimovic has lived up to expectations much more than fellow newly-signed attacking players Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have.

Though he was a free transfer, Manchester United fans and the rest of Europe expect Ibrahimovic to challenge for the Golden Boot for as long as he’s in the EPL. So far, he’s on track to do so.

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