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As March rolls around, the fixtures keep coming thick and fast with the season approaching its business end.
February witnessed the return of Champions League football; the ideal platform for Europe's elite to step up and be counted. While a number of them did sizzle, there were just as many that failed to make their mark.
The 2018 Ballon d'Or was won by Luka Modric, who finally ended the stranglehold Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had on the award. 2019 has not been too kind to Modric though as the Croat has suffered an almighty slump in form.
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That has opened the door for a number of other contenders, including the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah to stake their claim for the grand prize.
Last month's ranking had five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo closer to the bottom than the top. But will that change this time around? Let's dive in and take a look at the March 2019 edition of the Ballon d'Or Power Rankings.
#10 Bernardo Silva
A surprising entry on this list, Bernardo Silva has flown under the radar at Manchester City despite putting in solid performances week in week out.
Despite being overshadowed by the likes of Sergio Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva has been just as important to the City setup.
The Portuguese starred in City's wins against Arsenal and Chelsea, but his most important contribution arguably came against West Ham after being brought on in the second half, winning the penalty which Aguero then went on to convert.
With crucial ties coming up in the FA Cup and Champions League in March, he has the chance to rise quite a few spots in the ranking if he can inspire City to a few wins.
#9 Neymar
The biggest drop in this month's rankings belongs to Neymar, who did not play a single match in the month of February.
A foot injury ruled the Brazilian out of as many as five league games as well as the blockbuster Champions League clash against Manchester United, which means the 27-year-old finds himself at #9 this time around, dropping five places.
Neymar is however on the road to recovery and is expected to return to action soon.
#8 Eden Hazard
Chelsea limped into February on the back of a crushing 4-0 defeat to Bournemouth, but Eden Hazard made sure they regained a semblance of pride when he put Huddersfield to the sword, netting twice in a 5-0 win.
However, those were the only goals he managed in the entire month, as Chelsea lost ground in the race for the top four following a shock 6-0 defeat to Manchester City.
The Blues also crashed and burned out of the FA Cup at the hands of Manchester United, and fell at the final hurdle in the Carabao Cup, although Hazard did score his penalty.
Ultimately, not the best month for the Belgian but he has maintained his 8th spot for now.
#7 Sergio Aguero
Sergio Aguero makes his entry at #7 after a stellar February in which he scored 2 hattricks. The Argentine was in sublime form throughout the month, helping City eat into Liverpool's lead at the top of the Premier League and also ensuring they lifted their first piece of silverware this season - the Carabao Cup.
Aguero netted seven times in the league in just four games, powering him to the top of the scoring charts.
He also found the back of the net in City's entertaining away victory at Schalke and converted his penalty in the Carabao Cup final. A few more performances like those and he could well find himself in the top three come April.
#6 Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah has been far from his free-scoring best this season, but he has still played a vital role in Liverpool's rise to the top of the Premier League.
Salah netted just once in February for the Reds, in a league game against Bournemouth. However, with 17 league goals this season, he remains just one behind Sergio Aguero and still among the favourites to claim the Golden Boot.
Liverpool will look to him to provide the impetus when they head to Munich for the second leg of their Champions League encounter, and if past exploits are taken into account, the Egyptian can be expected to step up and deliver.
For now though, he drops 2 spots to #6 in our Power Rankings.
#5 Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba has found a new lease of life under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has been United's standout player the past few months.
Afforded the freedom to roam the length of the pitch, the prodigiously talented Frenchman has kept United's midfield ticking alongside the likes of Nemanja Matic, Scott McTominay, Ander Herrera and Fred.
Pogba was at his creative best in February, providing an assist in the games against Leicester and Crystal Palace. He also netted twice against Fulham to take his tally to 11 for the season.
However, Pogba saved his best for the marquee FA Cup clash against Chelsea, putting the Blues to the sword. The World Cup winner provided the assist for Ander Herrera's opener before finding the net himself in a comfortable 2-0 win for the Red Devils.
Solskjaer will want more of the same from his star man as Manchester United look to overturn a 2-0 deficit in the Champions League when they travel to Paris later this week. If Pogba can pull something out of his hat, he can surely break into the top three of the Power Rankings come April.
#4 Heung-min Son
Heung-min Son has finally emerged out of the shadows of his strike partner Harry Kane, becoming as important - if not more - a member of the Spurs side.
Son kept the Lilywhites competitive in Kane's absence, scoring a goal apiece against Newcastle and Leicester to take his tally for the season to 11.
Son has enjoyed a lot more creative freedom this season and that has reflected in his performances. He was the proverbial pain in the ar** for Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League encounter, keeping the likes of Zagadou and Toprak on their toes.
He scored Spurs' first goal in the game which opened the floodgates for the Londoners to take a whopping 3-0 lead to Germany and they are expected to come through unscathed.
While Spurs have gone off the boil somewhat of late, it's up to Son to lift them again and if he can inspire them to a semifinal berth in the Champions League and a top-two finish in the Premier League, he could find himself a lot higher in the rankings.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo
A massive rise for Cristiano Ronaldo, despite Juventus not having the best of months in February.
Ronaldo placed sixth last time out, but finds himself just about edging out Spurs' Heung-min Son to a spot on the podium.
Ronaldo continued his battle for the Serie A Golden Boot with Fabio Quagliarella, netting four times in four games in February. He currently leads the race for the Golden Boot with 19 goals from 25 games; two more than Quagliarella, who has done extremely well to keep pace with the Portuguese.
However, despite Ronaldo's performances, Juventus were unable to end their Champions league hoodoo, succumbing to a shock 2-0 defeat to Atletico in the first leg of their round of 16 tie. Last year, Juventus were on the receiving end of a Cristiano Ronaldo masterclass, and they will hope he can recreate some of that magic when they host Diego Simeone's men in the second leg.
If anyone is capable of pulling Juventus out of the hole they have dug for themselves, though, it's definitely the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.
#2 Kylian Mbappe
The heir to the throne Messi and Ronaldo are set to vacate soon, Kylian Mbappe is making Ligue 1 look like a sham.
Mbappe's rise has been astonishing and he has now overtaken both Neymar and Edinson Cavani to become PSG's spearhead.
The World Cup winner continued his fine goalscoring form in the league, finding the back of the net four times. He also scored PSG's second in their Champions League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford; all but sealing the Red Devils' fate in the competition.
Mbappe is a shoo-in for a spot on the podium in this year's Ballon d'Or and a few more months like these and he might even pip Messi to top spot.
#1 Lionel Messi
Was there ever any doubt? Lionel Messi has continued to astound us fans with that magical left foot of his and has shown no signs of slowing down even at the age of 31.
It was the Messi show in LaLiga again in February as the diminutive Argentine carried his team, sometimes singlehandedly to victories. A stunning hat-trick against Sevilla was just the icing on the cake for Messi, who netted six times in the month of February.
While those around him have continued to disappoint, Messi has gone about his business with alarming consistency, breaking records every time he steps onto the field.
Messi has carried Barcelona to the top of LaLiga and even a historic treble looks increasingly likely considering the form he is in.
Messi currently leads our Ballon d'Or Power Rankings; a position he is unlikely to relinquish any time soon.
