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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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1. Cristiano Ronaldo

MADRID, SPAIN – OCTOBER 23: Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid CF reacts as he fail to score during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club de Bilbao at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 23, 2016 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN – OCTOBER 23: Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid CF reacts as he fail to score during the La Liga match between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club de Bilbao at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on October 23, 2016 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images) /

You can make an argument against 29 of the 30 players nominated for this year’s Ballon d’Or. You cannot, however, make an argument against Cristiano Ronaldo. When it comes down to it, that’s why he’ll win the award for a fourth time.

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Let’s start with his club contributions.

Ronaldo finished second in La Liga with 35 goals. He led the Champions League with 16 goals. Though it won’t count on the official tally, his 17th goal was his biggest.

In Real Madrid’s shootout win over local rival Atletico in the Champions League final, Ronaldo saved himself for last and it paid off. He capped off Real’s 5-for-5 shootout performance to give the club its 11th Champions League title.

While that victory was surely sweet, his Euro 2016 triumph was the greatest team achievement in his career. It wasn’t pretty, most notably when he came  off with an injury in the first half of the final, but Portugal got it done, both with Ronaldo and then for him.

Three goals in the Euros put him on the team of the tournament. The captain’s armband as he hoisted the trophy put him into Portugal’s stratosphere of legends.

Next: Ranking all 20 World Cup Winners

The combination of leading both his club and country to this year’s two biggest titles makes him an easy choice for the 2016 Ballon d’Or.

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