In an age when individual awards are given great importance, tomorrow's Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool could determine the winner of this year's prestigious Ballon d'Or
Mohamed Salah
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or on the back of helping Real Madrid to each of their recent European Cup triumphs, in 2014, 2016 and again last year.
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It is reductionist in the extreme to bring tomorrow's final down to just two players, given the strength in depth available - especially in attack - to Madrid and Liverpool.
Ronaldo has won the last two, but can he really win it again, having turned 33? But Ronaldo can certainly make his case in Kiev, while this is also a golden opportunity for Liverpool's Mohamed Salah before he leads Egypt into the World Cup.
Salah's fine season
This has already been a record-breaking season for the Egyptian, whose 32-goal tally was a new best in the Premier League for a 38-game campaign. Overall, he has scored a remarkable 44 in all competitions since his arrival at Anfield from Roma, including 11 in Liverpool's memorable run to final. He has been supported by Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, with that threesome netting 90 goals between them in all competitions.
Nevertheless, Liverpool's hopes of winning a sixth European Cup depend to a large degree on Salah. Whether that's enough to land the Ballon d'Or has split his teammates.
Ronaldo's resurgence
Ronaldo's decline in the first half of this season was as concerning as his reawakening in 2018 has been breathtaking. The Portuguese star has scored 41 goals in all competitions this season, but an incredible 28 have come since late January.
Despite only scoring four times before La Liga's winter break, he ended up with 26 goals in that competition, behind only Lionel Messi. But it is the Champions League that really brings out the best in him. This season, despite his poor domestic form, he had scored in every Champions League game prior to the semi-final win over Bayern Munich. And his form will be crucial if Real Madrid have to register hat-trick of title wins.
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