Ballon d'Or 2018: 5 Reasons Lionel Messi will win

#1 Ronaldo's move to Juventus

Cristiano Ronaldo has not been at his brilliant best in Italy

Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Juventus after nearly 10 years with Real Madrid due to the 33-year-old's desire to challenge himself in a new league. It was a brave move so late on in his career, however, Ronaldo no longer has the spotlight of playing for Real Madrid.

The forward also faces a much more difficult challenge to maintaining his phenomenal goalscoring rate, as teams in Serie A tend to be a lot more defensive minded than their counterparts in La Liga.

The Portuguese forward has managed just 9 goals in 15 games since his move, a tally dwarfed by Messi's recent form. Ronaldo has also scored just once in the Champion's League, and this may have put the 5-time winner in a difficult position to win. No player has won the award whilst playing in Serie A since 2007, and Ronaldo's absence from La Liga may ultimately be Messi's gain come December 3rd.