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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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4. Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona celebrates his goal during the La Liga match between Valencia CF vs FC Barcelona at Mestalla Stadium, Valencia, on october 22, 2016. (Photo by Maria Jose Segovia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Luis Suarez of FC Barcelona celebrates his goal during the La Liga match between Valencia CF vs FC Barcelona at Mestalla Stadium, Valencia, on october 22, 2016. (Photo by Maria Jose Segovia/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /

On paper, Luis Suarez and Barcelona seemed like a match made in heaven. In reality, the marriage between player and club as been even better.

After an outstanding first season at Camp Nou in which he netted the treble-winning goal for Barca in the Champions League, all Suarez did for an encore was be the leading scorer in Europe.

With 40 La Liga goals and 59 club goals in all competitions, Suarez was Barca’s most consistent scorer while both Messi and Neymar dealt with injuries. He also led the league with 16 assists to become the first La Liga player ever to finish the top in both categories. Not bad in an era when Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the record books.

It was a Copa America to forget for Suarez, however. After getting hurt in the Copa Del Rey final, Suarez suited up for Uruguay at less-than-optimal health. He may as well not have dressed at all as he never started a game as the Uruguayans bounced out in the group stage.

With seven goals in La Liga this season, Suarez is back looking like Suarez and Barca is back to looking like, well, Barca. Just ask Manchester City.

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