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#2 Lionel Messi
Barcelona icon Lionel Messi takes up the second spot as things stand. The Argentine had one of the best seasons on a personal level but the climax of the season is what could potentially hamper his chances of lifting the coveted trophy.
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Messi enjoyed a fantastic season, scoring 36 La Liga goals in 29 starts for the Catalans and claimed the European Golden Shoe for the third consecutive season.
The 31-year-old finished the UEFA Champions League campaign as the highest goal scorer with a tally of 12. His performances against Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United were simply mesmerizing.
The Barcelona ace's chances took a hit when Liverpool humiliated the Spanish giants at Anfield as they won 4-0 to seal the tie 4-3 on aggregate. Meanwhile Barca's no show against Valencia in the Copa Del Rey finals made matters worse.
Lionel Messi's hopes of lifting the Ballon d'Or for the record sixth time lies in the hands of his Copa America camoaign. Argentina are the second favorites to lift the trophy behind Brazil, and if they succeed, Messi would be unstoppable.
