Cristiano Ronaldo Must Accept He May Finish THIRD Behind Barcelona Stars Lionel Messi And Neymar In Ballon d'Or Contest

Cristiano Ronaldo knows what’s coming: ‘I think [Leo] Messi is going to win this year because this kind of trophy depends on votes,’ he told Jonathan Ross in an interview last November.

Messi will win his fifth Ballon D’Or next week and Ronaldo has accepted that. What he may still need to get his head around is the idea that he might not come second either.

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the past two Ballon d'Ors but may have to make do with third place this time

Neymar won the treble last year scoring 45 goals. Ronaldo scored 57 but in trophy terms they counted for nothing.

The Real Madrid man has accepted that his Barcelona rival Lionel Messi (above) is likely to win the contest

Though Ronaldo was Europe's leading goalscorer last year, he failed to win a trophy

Neymar (above) could make it a Barcelona one-two following an outstanding 2015 for Barcelona

It was the Brazilian who scored the third goal in Berlin as Barcelona beat Juventus in the Champions League final, it was Neymar who tormented Athletic Bilbao as Barca won the Copa del Rey and it was Neymar whose 22 league goals helped Barcelona win La Liga. He ought to be second.

Voter loyalty might keep Ronaldo in the top two positions but even if it does there is a feeling that after three Golden Balls the great man could even be appearing on the Zurich stage for the last time.

2016 is a European Championship year and if Portugal do as well as they did two years ago in Brazil their tournament will be a short one.

That will rob Ronaldo of a large chunk of the glory up for grabs in the next 12 months leaving the way clear for an Antoine Griezmann, a Kevin De Bruyne or a Gareth Bale to steal a march.

Ronaldo and Messi have been the main contenders for the world's best player accolade for many years

Many thought Luis Suarez (left) should have made it a Barcelona clean sweep on the Ballon d'Or shortlist

Add that to the almost guaranteed presence of Neymar and Messi – the latter who is three years younger than Ronaldo and he will have his work cut out making the medal places.

There is a decent argument for his place in the top three this year being hard to justify.

Luis Suarez’s 2015 was little short of astonishing. He scored 16 league goals and weighed in with 14 assists as Barca won the league much thanks to his performance in the second Clasico of the season.

He scored the vital second goal in the Champions League final and was player of the tournament as they won the Fifa Club World Cup. Ronaldo top scored in Europe but the Golden Boot is the prize for goals.

He is there, however. And his demeanour as he doesn't win will be fascinating to observe.

Luis Suarez scored Barcelona's crucial second goal in the Champions League final - but wasn't shortlisted

He has squirmed in the past when his nemesis has got the better of him and it has even been suggested he might not show, knowing he is probably not going to win. But he has changed.

One of the most revealing scenes of Ronaldo the film, released last year came at the Zurich gala last January when Messi appeared just as Ronaldo was waiting to be given the award.

As he tells Messi that his son is a fan but that now he is shy it’s Ronaldo the Dad at his most natural. This year there will be no cry of Siiiiiii! Just polite applause as Messi wins.

If he does finish third and if he does see that as a sign that he is sliding down the ladder and slowly off the grid will it influence the big decision he has to make at the end of the season?

He knows the club will sell him if they get the chance. He also knows he is on a contract that does not end until 2018.

Ronaldo and Messi pictured together at last year's Ballon d'Or ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland

The two stars give a press conference ahead of last year's ceremony, where Ronaldo claimed the award

He could stay at the club for two more seasons and then go to play in the US aged 33. Or he could go this summer aged 31 making one more European stop – most probably at Paris Saint Germain – before switching to MLS.

If he stays he will no longer be the main protagonist as the younger Bale and James Rodriguez are given increasing authority in the team by new coach Zinedine Zidane.

If he goes to Paris he will once again be the alpha male. He will score the team's goals and if he could help the French side win their first ever Champions League it would once again put him on the Ballon d’Or stage.