With Lionel Messi having already beaten Cristiano Ronaldo to this year's The Best FIFA Men's Player award, his latest surge in form could now also see him overtake his longstanding rival in the Ballon d'Or race.
Click through the mini-gallery above to see Messi's previous Ballon d'Or wins.
The FC Barcelona superstar last won the Golden Ball in 2015, and reports this week suggested that Ronaldo could be the leading candidate for the 2019 edition of the prestigious accolade.
However, Messi put in another 10/10 performance against Real Valladolid on Tuesday night, scoring two goals and assisting another two strikes in the Blaugrana's 5-1 win.
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His brace also saw him overtake his older rival, by two years, in terms of club goals, despite having played 117 games less.
Overall, Messi has scored five goals and set up another five strikes in eight appearances in 2019/20 after missing the beginning of the campaign through injury.
Reports in Spain now suggest that the Argentine is making a late surge for the Ballon d'Or title, with Ronaldo and 2019 UEFA Player of the Year Virgil van Dijk said to be the other leading candidates.
Messi could lift his sixth Ballon d'Or in December, and would becoming the first player in history to do so – a feat that Ronaldo also could achieve if he wins instead.
The 2019 Ballon d'Or winner will be decided by international journalists, and the winner will be announced on 2 December.
Who do you think is the favourite to win this year's Ballon d'Or? Have your say in the comments section below.
