10 Reasons Why Barcelona's Lionel Messi Must Win the 2014 Ballon d'Or
As the Ballon d'Or circus rolls into town, Lionel Messi will once again fight it out with Cristiano Ronaldo for the accolade. Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer makes up this year's top three, but there can only be one winner.
After another stellar year, that winner has to be Messi.
Real Madrid's unnecessary and frankly embarrassing defence of their man is likely to have done his chances more harm than good, but that shouldn't take away from the efforts of the Argentinian who has gone about his business in his usual unrelenting manner.
Let's take a look at 10 reasons why the trophy has to be heading back to Barcelona on an unprecedented fifth occasion for the Blaugrana's best-ever player.
All-Time La Liga Top Scorer
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It's a mark that had stood for more than 60 years.
Until Lionel Messi got close to the La Liga scoring record, it's doubtful that anyone had ever heard of Athletic Bilbao's Telmo Zarra and his 252 goals.
In roughly half the time it took Zarra to reach the mark, a hat-trick against Sevilla saw Messi first equal the it, then overtake it in the same game.
With at least another five to seven years left at the top level, the eventual record that Messi sets may never be equalled.
Sensational
All-Time Champions League Top Scorer
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In the same week as Messi broke the La Liga scoring record, so the all-time Champions League mark was toppled, again with a hat-trick.
For the first time in his career, all three record-breaking goals were scored with his right foot.
With 71 goals, Raul's was a record that had stood the test of time, but Messi managed to reach, and then surpass it, six years quicker than the Real Madrid man.
Best Goals-to-Games Ratio in the Champions League
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When comparing Messi against the best that Europe has to offer, he still comes out on top.
If the Champions League is the benchmark competition, then Messi's goals-to-games ratio has to be given appropriate acknowledgment.
His 0.81 (75 goals in 92 games), is far better than Ronaldo’s 0.65 (73 in 115 games), per Messi vs. Ronaldo, and Raul’s 0.50 (71 goals in 142 games).
All-Time El Clasico Top Scorer
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If becoming leading scorer in both La Liga and the Champions League wasn't enough, Messi also became the all-time top scorer in El Clasico matches in 2014.
As with both other records, this one was also broken with a hat-trick, at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first part of the year.
Those three goals took him clear of Los Blancos legend Alfredo di Stefano and out on his own with 21 goals.
58 Goals in a 'Bad' Year
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Another year, another hatful of goals for Messi.
Much has been made of Cristiano Ronaldo's incessant rate of scoring in arguably one of his best years, yet his 61 goals in all competitions is just three more than Messi managed in a supposed bad year for him.
Lest we forget that his start to the year was disrupted by serious injury and his appetite for the fight questioned in those early months.
Understandably after tearing a hamstring, Messi would take a while to get back to his very best.
Per Ben Hayward of Goal, former Barca stalwart Miguel Angel Nadal noted: "Messi is a player on a different level to the rest, but he had a lot of muscular problems and he was less participative for a while. He still scored a lot of goals, but he suffered and the whole team suffered."
Imagine if he'd been at his very best for the entire year!
Most Chances Created in 2014
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What sets Lionel Messi apart from any other player is an exceptional all-round ability.
The numbers don't lie and his value to the team is clear.
Per WhoScored, the Argentinian created 97 chances in La Liga during 2014. That was an astonishing 24 more than any other player in the league.
Lionel Messi is about more than just goals. Much more.
More Completed Dribbles Than Anyone Else in La Liga
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Ronaldo is renowned for his step-overs and dribbling prowess. Indeed it is a major facet of the Portuguese's game.
So it might come as a surprise to many to note that he is once again trailing in Messi's slipstream in 2014 in this regard.
Per Opta via Barcastuff, Messi completed 164 dribbles in 2014, which was 63 more than his nearest rival. Not Ronaldo but Athletic Club's Iker Muniain.
Over 30 Man-of-the-Match Awards
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A tangible sign as to the influence a player has held in any given match is the man-of-the-match accolade.
Given the multitude of metrics now available for public consumption, it's easier than ever for the layman to understand exactly why a certain player is handed the award.
In 2014 Lionel Messi received more than 30 separate awards.
Enough said.
Best Player at World Cup 2014
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Although Argentina's bid for World Cup glory ultimately ended in failure, it wasn't for the want of trying on Messi's part.
Despite overwhelming pressure to deliver on the world's biggest stage given his abject failure to do so four years earlier, a single-handed desire to claim football's ultimate prize along with four goals to boot saw Messi take the best player award in Brazil.
Whether there were more deserving players is a moot point.
The history books will show that Messi was crowned as the best when playing against the best in 2014.
Best Player in the World, Consistently
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Andres Iniesta believes that the Ballon d'Or is given to the best player in the world as opposed to the one who wins the most titles in a given year.
According to an interview with Marca via Joe Wright of Goal, Iniesta noted:
"For me, the only candidate I see is Leo. Everyone has their opinion and they are free to express it.
The Ballon d'Or is not decided by titles but by a vote of people who believe a player deserves it because they are the best.
For me, the number one is Leo. Today and always.
"
Regardless of whether you could make a case for Messi on the basis of goals or assists, Iniesta's view is perhaps one that's shared by others.
Lionel Messi has been the best player in the world, consistently.
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