WHEN IT COMES to the Ballon d’Or, everyone in football has an opinion – and an agenda. Consequently, when it comes to such a subjective issue, it is often best to turn to numbers in the search for truth.
71 - Messi equalled Raul’s all-time Champions League goal record with a double at Ajax on November 5. The Barca ace took outright possession of the record with a hat-trick against APOEL in his next outing before taking his tally to 75 with a goal against PSG on matchday 6.
54 - Ronaldo netted 54 times in just 60 appearances, including international friendlies, for club and country between November 30, 2013 and November 21, 2014.
34 - After his eight strikes in the knockout stage of the 2013-14 Champions League, Ronaldo has now scored more goals in the tournament’s elimination rounds than any other player.
22 - Ronaldo equalled the record for Liga hat-tricks held by Telmo Zarra and Alfredo Di Stefano with his treble against Athletic Bilbao on October 5. The Portuguese subsequently broke the record by bagging all of his club’s goals in a 3-0 win over Celta on December 6.
Manu Fernandez / AP/Press Association Images
Manu Fernandez / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images
21 - On March 23 2014, Messi netted a hat-trick in Barcelona’s 4-3 win at Real Madrid to become the all-time leading goalscorer in El Clasico, with his treble taking his tally to 24, three more than another Argentine legend, Di Stefano.
20 - Messi racked up a grand total of 21 assists for club and country across the Ballon d’Or voting period – three more than Ronaldo.
17 - Ronaldo smashed Messi’s record for goals in a single Champions League season (14) by striking 17 times during Madrid’s triumphant 2013-14 campaign.
17 - Ronaldo also struck 17 times during the opening 10 rounds of the current Liga season – a new record. He reached 20 goals just two matchdays later, which was also a Primera Division record.
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Andres Kudacki / AP/Press Association Images
Andres Kudacki / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images
15 - With his goal in Madrid’s win at Copenhagen on December 10, 2013, Ronaldo broke the record for most goals scored by any player in the Champions League over a calendar year.
14 - Messi’s aforementioned hat-trick at the Santiago Bernabeu in March also saw him draw level with Di Stefano on Clasico goals scored exclusively in Liga encounters.
12 - Messi became the leading assist-maker in Clasico history in March by setting up Andres Iniesta for the opening goal.
9 - Neuer kept nine clean sheets in the Bundesliga before the closing date for Ballon d’Or votes. The 28-year-old racked up another four before the winter break to set a new record for the first half of a Bundesliga campaign. The German was beaten just four times in total, which was also a new milestone mark for the German top flight.
9 - With his goal against Eibar on November 22, 2014, Ronaldo became the first player to score against every single side he has faced in La Liga.
8 - Messi has made the Ballon d’Or top three for an eighth time. What’s even more remarkable about this world-record feat is that he has pulled it off in consecutive seasons, with the Argentine having made the shortlist every year since 2007.
7 - Ronaldo and Messi have both featured in the FIFPro World XI a record seven times in a row, dating back to 2007.
Andres Kudacki / AP/Press Association Images
Andres Kudacki / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images
5 - Ronaldo and Messi became the first men to score 25 goals or more in five consecutive Liga seasons during the 2013-14 campaign.
4 - Neuer shipped just four goals during the second half of the 2013-14 Bundesliga season, which was a new record for the German top flight.
3 - Ronaldo was awarded the LFP trophies for best goal, best forward and best player at the end of the 2013-14 season – a feat never before achieved by any player.
3 - Neuer claimed three winners’ medals in 2014, winning the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal in May with Bayern Munich before lifting the biggest prize in football, the World Cup, with Germany in July.
3 - Ronaldo also collected three trophies during the Ballon d’Or ‘year’, claiming the Copa del Rey with Real Madrid in April (though he did not play in the final), the Champions League just over a month later and the Uefa Super Cup in August.
3 - Ronaldo equalled Messi’s record of three European Golden Shoe wins by sharing this year’s award with Barca striker Luis Suarez. Both the Portuguese and the former Liverpool striker hit 31 goals during the 2013-14 season.
3 - Ronaldo’s 52nd-minute strike in Madrid’s Champions League last 16 second-leg win at Schalke in February saw him become the first player to reach double figures in the competition in three successive campaigns.
2 - With his last-gasp penalty in Madrid’s 4-1 victory over city rivals Atletico in the 2014 Champions League final, Ronaldo became the first player to net in the tournament decider for two European Cup-winning teams, having previously scored in Manchester United’s triumph over Chelsea in 2008.
Martin Meissner / AP/Press Association Images
Martin Meissner / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images
2 - Neuer conceded only twice in 2014-15 Bundesliga fixtures at the Allianz Arena before the winter break – a record low for the first half of a season.
2 - Messi’s previously mentioned treble against Madrid in March saw the Argentine become the first player to score two Clasico hat-tricks. Interestingly, the No.10 also became the first man to score three times in one game against a side coached by Carlo Ancelotti.
1 - Neuer was awarded the Golden Glove after being voted the best goalkeeper at the 2014 World Cup.
1 - The Gelsenkirchen native is the first goalkeeper to feature in the Ballon d’Or top three since Gianluigi Buffon finished as runner-up to Italy team-mate Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.
The incredible numbers behind Ronaldo, Messi and Neuer’s year
WHEN IT COMES to the Ballon d’Or, everyone in football has an opinion – and an agenda. Consequently, when it comes to such a subjective issue, it is often best to turn to numbers in the search for truth.
71 - Messi equalled Raul’s all-time Champions League goal record with a double at Ajax on November 5. The Barca ace took outright possession of the record with a hat-trick against APOEL in his next outing before taking his tally to 75 with a goal against PSG on matchday 6.
54 - Ronaldo netted 54 times in just 60 appearances, including international friendlies, for club and country between November 30, 2013 and November 21, 2014.
34 - After his eight strikes in the knockout stage of the 2013-14 Champions League, Ronaldo has now scored more goals in the tournament’s elimination rounds than any other player.
22 - Ronaldo equalled the record for Liga hat-tricks held by Telmo Zarra and Alfredo Di Stefano with his treble against Athletic Bilbao on October 5. The Portuguese subsequently broke the record by bagging all of his club’s goals in a 3-0 win over Celta on December 6.
21 - On March 23 2014, Messi netted a hat-trick in Barcelona’s 4-3 win at Real Madrid to become the all-time leading goalscorer in El Clasico, with his treble taking his tally to 24, three more than another Argentine legend, Di Stefano.
20 - Messi racked up a grand total of 21 assists for club and country across the Ballon d’Or voting period – three more than Ronaldo.
17 - Ronaldo smashed Messi’s record for goals in a single Champions League season (14) by striking 17 times during Madrid’s triumphant 2013-14 campaign.
17 - Ronaldo also struck 17 times during the opening 10 rounds of the current Liga season – a new record. He reached 20 goals just two matchdays later, which was also a Primera Division record.
15 - With his goal in Madrid’s win at Copenhagen on December 10, 2013, Ronaldo broke the record for most goals scored by any player in the Champions League over a calendar year.
14 - Messi’s aforementioned hat-trick at the Santiago Bernabeu in March also saw him draw level with Di Stefano on Clasico goals scored exclusively in Liga encounters.
12 - Messi became the leading assist-maker in Clasico history in March by setting up Andres Iniesta for the opening goal.
9 - Neuer kept nine clean sheets in the Bundesliga before the closing date for Ballon d’Or votes. The 28-year-old racked up another four before the winter break to set a new record for the first half of a Bundesliga campaign. The German was beaten just four times in total, which was also a new milestone mark for the German top flight.
9 - With his goal against Eibar on November 22, 2014, Ronaldo became the first player to score against every single side he has faced in La Liga.
8 - Messi has made the Ballon d’Or top three for an eighth time. What’s even more remarkable about this world-record feat is that he has pulled it off in consecutive seasons, with the Argentine having made the shortlist every year since 2007.
7 - Ronaldo and Messi have both featured in the FIFPro World XI a record seven times in a row, dating back to 2007.
5 - Ronaldo and Messi became the first men to score 25 goals or more in five consecutive Liga seasons during the 2013-14 campaign.
4 - Neuer shipped just four goals during the second half of the 2013-14 Bundesliga season, which was a new record for the German top flight.
3 - Ronaldo was awarded the LFP trophies for best goal, best forward and best player at the end of the 2013-14 season – a feat never before achieved by any player.
3 - Neuer claimed three winners’ medals in 2014, winning the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal in May with Bayern Munich before lifting the biggest prize in football, the World Cup, with Germany in July.
3 - Ronaldo also collected three trophies during the Ballon d’Or ‘year’, claiming the Copa del Rey with Real Madrid in April (though he did not play in the final), the Champions League just over a month later and the Uefa Super Cup in August.
3 - Ronaldo equalled Messi’s record of three European Golden Shoe wins by sharing this year’s award with Barca striker Luis Suarez. Both the Portuguese and the former Liverpool striker hit 31 goals during the 2013-14 season.
3 - Ronaldo’s 52nd-minute strike in Madrid’s Champions League last 16 second-leg win at Schalke in February saw him become the first player to reach double figures in the competition in three successive campaigns.
2 - With his last-gasp penalty in Madrid’s 4-1 victory over city rivals Atletico in the 2014 Champions League final, Ronaldo became the first player to net in the tournament decider for two European Cup-winning teams, having previously scored in Manchester United’s triumph over Chelsea in 2008.
2 - Neuer conceded only twice in 2014-15 Bundesliga fixtures at the Allianz Arena before the winter break – a record low for the first half of a season.
2 - Messi’s previously mentioned treble against Madrid in March saw the Argentine become the first player to score two Clasico hat-tricks. Interestingly, the No.10 also became the first man to score three times in one game against a side coached by Carlo Ancelotti.
1 - Neuer was awarded the Golden Glove after being voted the best goalkeeper at the 2014 World Cup.
1 - The Gelsenkirchen native is the first goalkeeper to feature in the Ballon d’Or top three since Gianluigi Buffon finished as runner-up to Italy team-mate Fabio Cannavaro in 2006.
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