An Argument for Lionel Messi to Win the 2014 Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi has dominated the FIFA Ballon d'Or trophy these last few years.

After winning the precursors to the award, the FIFA World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or in 2009, Messi went on to claim a hat-trick of FIFA Ballon d'Ors between 2010 and 2012.

Even when Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2013 award, there was a very real sense of tainted voting after FIFA reopened voting to take into account Ronaldo's immense performance against Sweden in the World Cup play-offs.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

James Piercy of Sport360 was one journalist of many to comment on the subject. Fernando Duarte of ESPN noted the Brazilian Ronaldo's comments at the time:

"Cristiano has been amazing this year. But he has been like that in the last five years. Messi is a more spectacular player and I would vote for him if I had the chance."

In any event, Ronaldo denied Messi what would have been an unprecedented fifth trophy in a row.

Whether the criteria for the award was open to manipulation is irrelevant, the history books will show Cristiano Ronaldo as the winner.

As we start the countdown for the 2014 winner, Messi, of course, deserves to be right back up there again.

Andres Kudacki/Associated Press

There will, without doubt, be those commentators who suggest it's Ronaldo's to lose once again. Champions League winner, scoring goals for fun etc.

Per WhoScored.com, Cristiano has 13 goals in La Liga already, a record for a Real Madrid player at this stage of the season. Scratch the surface, though, and what else does the Portuguese offer?

Messi has six goals but, importantly, also six assists, per WhoScored.com.

With a man-of-the-match award in all but two of the games he has played this season, arguably Messi's contribution has been the greater.

Indeed, over the course of the whole of 2014, via Messi vs. Ronaldo, the Argentine just trails behind in terms of goals scored (39 to Ronaldo's 44) but is way out in front with 18 assists compared to 12 for Ronaldo.

Let's also take the World Cup into account.

Clive Rose/Getty Images

Both players may want to be looking over their shoulders come voting time for the likes of Philipp Lahm et al. It may not all be about the best two protagonists on the planet this time around.

Assuming the lion's share of any voting does head the way of Messrs Ronaldo and Messi, then the difference between both at the World Cup was marked.

An injured Ronaldo limped out of the tournament along with his country. Barely a whimper.

Messi, on the other hand, dragged Argentina by the scruff of the neck to get them into the final. Ultimately, he was unsuccessful against Germany, but he was still voted as the player of the tournament.

Considering the hype that always seems to surround this award, even winning it doesn't faze Messi.

He told FIFA.com when asked about reclaiming the title:

"

I've repeated it several times, I'm not in competition with Cristiano. I play my game, I do my work and I'm not interested in rivalry with him or anyone else. 

Individual awards are those that matter least to me, I want to have a great year and make sure my team achieve their goals.

"

Individual awards where the criteria is massaged to FIFA's own ends probably matter to Messi even less, but the fact is the award should be given, plainly and simply, to the best player in the world.

That player is Lionel Messi.