Who should win it this year.

Ronaldo and Messi are both tied on 5, each have either won the award between them in the past 10 years.
I don't think either of them deserve to win this award this time around.

Plenty of options

Messi
Ronaldo
Mo Salah

... or Perhaps someone else ?

I'd still go for Salah, the guy has done wonders on and off the field nvm his brief appearance in Russia.

@mancitydude You answered your own question, PFA young player of the year is good but its not as good as PFA player of the year. We're not even sure Salah will get into the nominee so its very unlikely that Sane have a shot, since he got a lot less going for him than Salah (Salah went farther into CL and was selected to play in world cup, sadly can't say the same bout Sane). Doesn't take away Sane was propably in the top 3 best player in England but sadly for Ballon d'Or, I don't think that will be enough. :(

@tiki Fair enough.

unpopular opinion: I dont think Salah deserves Balon d'or, He was amazing in the EPL but still wasnt enough. De Bruyne for me had better season. His UCL season was also amazing but Firminio and Mane performed better in the UCL. I dont think i need to mention his WC performance.

Mbappe was terrific throughout the year so far, same goes for De Bruyne, Modric and also neymar. Neymar had an amazing season even though he was injured for the most part, his stats werent toped only by Cavani.

Messi and Ronaldo both have imporatant points that can help win the BO, Messi winning La Liga & Copa Del rey also being top goalscorer of the top 5 leagues and top assister in La liga. Ronaldo having the best Goal scoring ratio of 2018 year and I believe top goalscorer (including all comps of 2018) plus winning the UCL. his WC performance was also amazing.

But I would vote for Luka Modric. He had a brilliant year, La liga, UCL, WC, Rugby, you name it. If Croatia wins the WC, and Modric plays at his typical performance, i wouldnt be surprised for the lad to win it. He has no flaw in the season except for his stats which is difficult to compete with the likes of the forwards and even Midfielders like De bruyne or even Kroos.

My votes:

1.Modric
2.Messi
3.Ronaldo
4.De bruyne
5.Mbappe

I will add Kanté in the discussion.

his WC performance was also amazing.

You really think Ronaldo had an amazing WC performance? He had a great performance against Spain, but after that he was very poor in all the remaining matches.

As for Ballon Dor I'd go for Messi or Modric.

And in 2014 Neuer should have won it.

61 goals, 20 assists, a Champions League trophy, Copa del Rey trophy, Super Cup, and Club World Cup would say otherwise.

It’s your opinion Dynast but in a World Cup year, other competitions look less important. Actually the current winners all had tremendous seasons... but switching format of voting is kind of unfair...

How you can explain to Etoo in 2006, liga holder, Pichichi, CL winner, CL Motm of the final scoring decisive goal Vs Arsenal. That he got ranked 10th and Canavaro with 0 trophy and 6 month injury winning WC in pks ( he was huge during WC it’s not the problem ). How can you explain that to him when 8 years later you give it to a player being eleminated from groupstage.... I’m not for or against that WC format I just want them not to switch it each time and keep it fair for everyone.

Simply watching France in the semis, obviously nobody is carrying them they just have an insanely stacked team, now I feel that Griezmann needs to score a goal in the finals so that he makes a better case for himself.

This World Cup can have Modric as the player that carried his team or maybe someone like Harry Kane in case good things happen to one of them but nobody is really carrying the team of France like Zidane did in 1998, Ronaldo for Brazil 2002, Cannavaro for Italy 2006.

Ronaldo is still the number 1 pick for me, 4 goals in this WC with the hattrick vs Spain showed enough but the team itself is a small team. If he continues to dominate in Juve now till the end of the year that also boosts his case.

@Golazo How he does with Juventus at first will be very interesting for the whole Ballond d'Or thing. The speed of adaptation will be key there and I'm not convinced he will find it as easy as he would like. Still expect great thing from him there. :D

Neuer didn't carry Germany to a WC. He wasn't pivotal to their championship run. I believe he only really had a standout game against Algeria, and that might have been it. Kroos, Muller, Lahm, Schweinsteiger... they were pivotal to Germany's WC. You can make that argument with Iniesta in 2010 and Modric/Kane this year, but you can't make that same argument with Neuer in 2014.

He was, without Neuer, Algeria would have won he was the best GK and the best CB since he was playing out of his box. 2014 could be the best season i ever watched from a GK, he was impressive....

@Golazo No need to say it, i think we all know your pick lol.

Modric wasn't so consistent in League, Salah was. We know this is irrelevant though. I think Ronaldo will get it for CL. I wouldn't be as mad as the last 2 years. Unpopular but I think he's been better this year than the last two.

As for 2014, none of those guys deserved it. Arjen Robben deserves it!

Modric is 1 win away from becoming the World Champion, which would make him above Ronaldo and as the first pick.

I would nominate mbappe ahead of salah. lol, it's time to have a new winner for ballon d'or which is getting boring, griezmann or modric is the closest.

Mbappe is more suited as a nominee for best young player of the year award. But let's not forget about Salah's incredible achievement here:

• 17/18 PL Golden Boot winner (32 goals)
  - 17/18 PFA Player's Player of the year
• PL player of the season (17/18)
• UEFA CL 2nd highest scorer (10)
• UEFA CL 3rd highest assist (4)
• there's a couple more, but aren't so worthy to mention...

Anyhow, that's an incredible achievement for an individual. Downgrading him because of his poor run in the WC (let's not forget why) is ridiculous. Modric is worth a mention too, however, I agree.

@amir_ Modric can also win because of UCL he was in same team as Ronaldo.

@Ledley Some could argue the same with Varane, his performance for France has been out of his world as well, one of their key player this campaign.

I really dont get whoever wanna downgrade Salah because of the world cup... that's purely illogical.

It's a team effort, HAVE JUST ONE DECENT player in the team next to you already creates so much more spaces, 1 2 passes, interaction and allow a player to perform.... Anyone who play football knows that.

Having decent teammates make a huge different, Im talking about decent not top.

Ledley

I get that. but you have to remember Messi won 2010 WC even though Iniesta and Xavi both just won WC, and one specifically just got the winning goal. That's the thing, Modric was never as good as Iniesta, and the fact him or Xavi have never won a Balon'dor shows how hard it really is to win it.

Varane should also be mentioned for at least a top 10, he's been excellent in the defense alongside Ramos. Excellent chemistry and combination.

I hope FIFA isn’t politically motivated, because otherwise Salah won’t win. Remember that pic he took with Ramzan Kadyrov ? Might cause him to lose it...