Why Cristiano Ronaldo Will Win the Ballon d'Or

 The Ballon d'Or (translation: golden ball, which is exactly what the trophy looks like) goes to the soccer player who done played soccerball the best in a calendar year. It is the merger of two awards: France Football's Ballon d'Or and FIFA's World Player of the Year. (France Football is a soccer magazine based in – you probably should have guessed this – France.)
The gala for the 2013 version will be on Jan. 13, 2014.
So let's have a little chat about why Ronaldo – not Lionel Messi or anyone else – will get it.

What's the award for? First, as with all awards, the defining criteria are unclear. Is it for the most talented player? The one who furthest exceeded expectations? The guy who was most integral on the team that won the most? Votes seem to go for all of the above.
For instance, when Fabio Cannavaro won in 2006, it was more an honor for Italy's collective defensive cohesion that won an unexpected World Cup trophy.
Usually, votes are biased toward goalscorers. In most ways, defense is collaborative; offense favors individual ability. Only one goalkeeper has won – Lev Yashin in 1963.
This calendar year, Ronaldo scored the most. But he didn't win a whole lot. Barcelona beat out his Real Madrid to the Spanish title. And Bayern Munich won the Champions League, which includes the all best teams in Europe.