Cristiano Ronaldo is now the overwhelming favourite to win the 2018 Ballon d'Or after lifting his fifth Champions League title on Saturday.
Despite playing a peripheral role in the 3-1 win over Liverpool, a night where attacking team-mate Gareth Bale stole the headlines, Ronaldo's odds were trimmed from 7/4 to 5/4.
But the disappointing evening from a Liverpool perspective was compounded as Mohamed Salah, who has enjoyed the best season of his career having scored 44 goals, slipped to third in the odds-race after his final was cut short on 30 minutes.
The final in Kiev was billed as Ronaldo vs Salah but both failed to hit the heights expected with team-mates generating a greater impact on the outcome.
Ronaldo looked increasingly unlikely to be anywhere near the accolade after a poor domestic campaign left Madrid's season in the balance.
But a resurgence in the second half of the season saw Ronaldo help drive Zinedine Zidane's side to the final and he now looks to be in firm control ahead of the World Cup.
Salah has been in devastating form for Liverpool this season and cleaned up in England with the end of season awards, lifting the PFA Player of the Year award and the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year award.
No player since Kaka in 2007 has broken the Ronaldo-Lionel Messi duopoly with Salah providing the biggest threat in 11 years.
But having been 2/1 before kick-off in Kiev, narrowly behind Ronaldo, the Egyptian is now at 7/2 and third favourite behind Ronaldo and Messi.
constanzo
130
but he didn't deserve it ... in terms of statistics
26 goals in 27 appearance in laliga. never played copa del ray this season when real were knocked out. top goal scorer in champions league. goal ratio bètter than messi in laliga.what statistics are you talking about dude
rekio
92
Who else should win this after CR7 has coasted to 15 goals in this year champions league. Overall, he scored 44 in forty four appearance all season. No doubt, he deserves it. He certainly couldn't have scored in this finals with three to four players circled around him anytime he's in touch of the ball. I think Liverpool exposed themselves by getting more concentrated on CR7, and leaving the rest to steal the show. Just take a curious look at the build up to the second goal and ask yourself why three Liverpool players paid their attention only to Cristiano. I think from the many press release granted by Klopp, yeah, you will definitely see that the Liverpool coaching staff were scared of what damage Cristiano Ronaldo can cause. They paid dearly for this. I remember when Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich in the finals way back, that was also the mistake of Louis Van gal, giving his defenders the mission to police Samuel Etoo, without knowing that a certain Milito was equally as dangerous. It's over now, Madrid has done the unthinkable, they have made history.
Elednika
76
You should have make us understand that Balon D'Or accolade is by team that win UCL. He was fortunate likewise his teammate, so there is no tangible individual performance he has exact this season, all are with the help of his teammates. Several times he has been left out and Real' still perform exceedingly great. Please how many times have Messi been left out and Barça perform exceedingly great, or do you think had it been Salah isn't injured the match will go so simple that way. To be fully convinced that World Cup should be used for the Best Player.
bempr
66
It is pretty obvious to anyone paying attention that CR7 was not in form, and his ankle was still giving him problems from the late challenge in El Classico. He was limping slightly thru out the game, and didn't seem to have his usual speed on and off the ball, and couldn't cut, or get much on the shot. He didn't perform well, but it doesn't look like he was 100%, and usually when you do an interview and say "I'm 100%"...your not. Guessing he just wanted to play the final.
Wepblno
65
I never knew that winning the champions league makes a player a favourite for the balon dor. If that be the case, the balon for could also be given to Toni Kroos because he also won the champions league. Separate team achievement from player performance, please. Ronaldo and Real Madrid were woeful in the league and copa del rey. Winning a trophy in which they struggled at the early stages with Ronaldo disappearing since the semi-final until the trophy was lifted makes him the balon-dor favourite? He is the champions league highest goal scorer, yes! Is winning the balon-dor about scoring goals alone? Real Madrid and Ronaldo had an inconsistent season regardless of winning the champions league.
Prudthviraj
49
it's too much for him to get a balondor this season , he have disappeared in the first half of the season while he had got some crucial goals in 16 round vs PSG and Juventus and couldn't cast his magic against bayern and Liverpool there may be reasons of tight making him but he disappeared. now he is pole position to land the most honorable award provided his effective performance in only two crucial matches . this is hard to believe