THE '5' PEOPLE SHORLISTED FOR BALLON D'OR 2017 AWARD

BALLON D'OR SHORTLISTED PLAYERS 2017

RONALDO

- France Football have suggested Cristiano Ronaldo will win the 2017 Ballon d'Or award - The magazine is responsible for handing-out the Ballon d'Or award each year - Messi misses out on the four man shortlist as Buffon, Griezmann make up the list - Ronaldo won the award last season after winning the Champions League and Euro 2016 - Catalan nespapers are irate France Football did not include Messi in the shortlist Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo will likely win a fifth Balon d'Or award after. France Football magazine front page on Tuesday posed the question: “Who can beat him now?” in reference of Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or award last season The French publication points out: “Has the race finished? Not necessarily, but the progress of CR7 is almost irreversible.
“To catch him, they will have to impress a lot. And fast.” Ronaldo, 32, won the award last year after netting the winning penalty in the Champions League final and leading Portugal to a shock Euro 2016 title. Madrid are favourites for the La Liga and Champions league glory this term with Ronaldo leading the way. The attacker netted a hat-trick against Atletico in the semi-final first-leg last week after already scoring FIVE against Bayern in the quarters. Frace Football named the challengers to Ronaldo with Juventus keeper

                      

 Gigi Buffon named as “the only true rival” to Ronaldo, while Atletico striker Antoine Griezmann and Monaco wonderkid Kylian Mbappe are also mentioned. Buffon is Ronaldo's closest rival.

GRIEZMAN

 Griezmann is another challenger France Football add: “Messi will not play in the semi-finals of the Champions League for the second consecutive year. “The last winner of the Ballon d’Or that won without playing in them was Fabio Cannavaro in 2006. In July, the Italian won the World Cup. That will not be the case for Messi, at least not this year.” Messi is the first player to score 50 goals this season. The post has received negative reaction from publications around the world as Messi was seen as the best player this season before being helping against Bayern Munich where he scored two offside goals.

MESSI

Messi recently became the first player to score 50 goals this season in all competition in Europe's top five leaves.

SOURCE: NAIJ.COM