Ballon d'Or 2019: Ranking the top five favorites - August 2019

#2 Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona)

Messi scored 51 goals last season

Lionel Messi became the first player to win four Ballon d'Ors - doing so in consecutive years between 2009 and 2012.

However, since then he has won just one and none since 2015 and given his immense talent and ability, this is simply not good enough.

Indeed, last year saw Messi miss out on the top three in the Ballon d'Or for the first time in 12 years and that snub must have rekindled a fire in him.

His start to last season suggested that he was out to silence his doubters, as he led Barcelona's charge on all fronts for a treble, but the Catalans frittering end to the campaign put paid to those plans.

If the Blaugrana's capitulating losses to Liverpool and Valencia damaged Messi's chances, then his no-show and subsequent petulance and tirade at the recently concluded Copa America was the proverbial nail in the coffin.

However, Messi still ended last season with 51 goals and 22 assists in all competitions and won the European and Champions League Golden Boots.

These are not numbers you see every day and despite failing to inspire both Barcelona and Argentina to their sought after trophies, Lionel Messi is still firmly in the running to win a record-breaking sixth Ballon d'Or.