Lionel Messi was crowned the Ballon d'Or winner this past Monday before embarking on two straight games to help retain his crown and help his team to be its best. Cristiano Ronaldo meanwhile got back to work, looking to ward off a slow start to 2016.
Lionel Messi has now won the Ballon d'Or five times in his career, adding to his record-breaking total.
While Messi will undoubtedly be seen as one of the favorites moving forward, it is possible that the superstar may he spot superseded in 2016. Cristiano Ronaldo has been his bitter rival for years in this competition, but Ronaldo looks like his precipitous decline could come to take him down rather quickly, making room for other major competitors.
Here are the top contenders for next year's Ballon d'Or, one year away from the awards ceremony.
Lionel Messi won his first Ballon d'Or, cementing himself as the only player to win as many individual awards. He had already made the record books with his fourth win back in 2012, but Cristiano Ronaldo had crept within one with two straight wins in 2013 and 2014. However, that mountain will be harder to climb now for the Portuguese player who is seemingly starting his decline.
Manchester City seems ready to do everything it can to lure Pep Guardiola to the Etihad Stadium. How will it accomplish this feat? With a massive purchase of superstars that include Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba, Gerard Pique and David Alaba.
Isco and James Rodriguez were the conspicuous absences of Real Madrid's 2-2 draw against Valencia, with their replacement, Mateo Kovacic, being the man to earn a red card and kill his club's chances at taking over the game.
The year 2015 was a touchstone year for some soccer clubs and a dismal one for others. Some clubs reached the pinnacle while others dropped from it. Some teams started 2015 on a tear and with promise only to face embarrassment as it came to an end.
Let's take a look at which soccer clubs had terrific years and which sides could not be happier to see 2016 come to them.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi each got time in yet another game this week, albeit in rather different circumstances. While Ronaldo played in the Spanish League, Messi was off in Japan competing in the FIFA Club World Cup.
