In past recent years two names ring out constantly across the world around this time of year for footballs biggest individual prize, the prestigious FIFA Ballon d’Or. The ultimate gong that confirms you being the best player in the world for the previous year. Those two names, BarcelonaÂ’s Lionel Messi and Real MadridÂ’s Christiano Ronaldo. Both creating one of, if not, the biggest debate in football in current times, the Argentine or the Portuguese?
Since 2008 the award has been dominated by the pair (Even though it took the FIFA name in 2010 and re-started itÂ’s winners list) with Lionel Messi winning it 4 years on the bounce. Christiano Ronaldo then took it off the South AmericanÂ’s hands in 2013, and probably retaining it for 2014 on the 12th of January in a few weeks. The fact that these two players have battled it out for the last 5 years shows that they are on top of the world and no one can come near to touching them.
But have Chelsea potentially got a star to stir it up?
I myself personally believe we do in the outstanding Eden Hazard. The Belgian 23 year old made the 23 man shortlist this year which proves heÂ’s on the radar already. One of three Chelsea players, albeit Diego Costa and Thibaut Courtois earned their places on the list from their performances for Athletico Madrid last season, Hazard has blossomed over the last 2 years under Jose Mourinho and only looks to be getting better.
But what can he do to have a chance of winning the Ultimate prize?
It’s simple – Score more goals!
The fact that only 2 goalkeepers and 3 defenders were on the 23 man shortlist goes to prove football takes little admiration for defending. But if you score goals for fun, your more than likely to make that 3 man nominee list. That said one of the 3 men this year is super “Sweeper Keeper” Manuel Neuer of Bayern Munich. Obviously the other 2 are the names said earlier, and the reason they are and have been for the last 5 years? Because they have and still are breaking goal scoring records across Spain and Europe. Christiano Ronaldo has scored a ridiculous 284 goals in 269 appearances in all competitions for Real Madrid. As for Lionel Messi, 375 goals in 445 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona since the 04/05 season aged 17, whilst in that time smashing records at such a young age, most recently taking the crown for most goals in La Liga and Uefa Champions League. They are all about goals and score them very well.
Eden Hazard has it all. In my opinion he is the best in the world at retaining possession of the ball at the right times in the right places, his core strength for his size is phenomenal making it hard for opposition players to take the ball from him. His dribbling could be considered to be close to MessiÂ’s standard, his passing, his pace and since Mourinho came back to Chelsea, his defending has vastly improved along with his work rate. Even after a below par team performance against Hull at the weekend, Hazard was still trying to make things click scoring one and fantastically creating Diego CostaÂ’s drought breaking goal. He is our best player and our biggest chance of having the worlds best player title at the Bridge. But he lacks that cutting edge, yes he can score but there have been plenty of chances where his goal scoring tally could be earning him the golden boot award. Such an occasion happened against Manchester United this season, one on one with David De Gea, the Spanish keeper coming out on top. Now Cristiano or Lionel would not have missed that chance, and that is the difference to Hazard being a short listed player to a nominated player and hopefully one year, potential winner.
With RonaldoÂ’s next birthday being his 30th and maybe leaving his prime days behind him and Messi currently struggling to show his true ability, maybe due to unhappiness and a rumour of him coming to Chelsea, our Belgian wonder boy could well do it in coming years but will still have tough competition for the gong with the young superstars of Madrid, Barca and Bayern all in the midst. If he can get 40 plus league goals in one calendar year IÂ’m sure the people voting will have no choice but to put him in the mix.
So Eden, you score more goals, you will be doing the Premier League and Chelsea a favour by being the best player in the world!
