Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid to yet another inspirational season as they managed to lift the league title after more than three years, having also lifted the Champions League trophy.
Real became the first team to retain the European title in this era and the Portuguese international was at his best even at 32, helping his side in the most important games of the season.
He has also been in sublime form for the national side, winning the EURO16 in France last year and also took the Portuguese side to the semi-final of the Confederations Cup recently.
He is expected to be a genuine contender for the Ballon d’Or this year and yet again, his only rivalry will come from Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi.
The duo is currently the best in the world at the moment and probably one of the best in the history of the game.
So it does not come as a surprise that they have hogged all the individual awards in the last few years.
In fact, since 2008, a year after Brazilian star Kaka won the award, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have shared the Ballon d’Or trophy among themselves, giving the many superstars little chance.
But what if Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were not at the top of the wishlist?
It is a scary world to live in, but it will definitely give some successful players deserved recognition.
So who all missed out on such recognition?
Here is a list of Ballon d’Or winners from 2007, if Messi and Ronaldo were not a part of the award list