A Third Ballon d'Or and the Road to Glory

Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo arrived soon after.

The two men who had once stood head and shoulders above the rest had gone from Barcelona and Real Madrid to Chelsea and Manchester United.

Now they could only play supporting roles, watching a younger, more dazzling player climb toward greatness.

As they entered the venue, the guests were already taking their seats.

A huge crystal chandelier hung from the hall's vaulted ceiling, casting a soft glow.

The ceremony began.

The host took the stage, his voice ringing out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2017 Ballon d'Or ceremony!"

"Tonight, we'll reveal the year's best footballer."

Thirty players had initially made the shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or.

Being among them was an honor in itself.

The final three were Chen Anno, Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Highlights of their year began playing on the big screen.

Spectacular goals, brilliant assists, and thrilling moments flashed past.

When Chen Anno appeared, warm applause filled the hall.

An overhead kick, a stunning free kick, a backheel assist, and the way he danced across the pitch like an elf...

Every clip testified to the extraordinary year he'd had.

Over the past year, Chen Anno had been utterly dominant.

He had led Liverpool to seven trophies!

The Premier League, EFL Cup, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Community Shield, and FIFA Club World Cup had made them an unprecedented Seven-Crown King.

His individual numbers were even more frightening.

Across all competitions in the 2016–17 season, he had scored 101 goals.

By one count, he had been directly involved in more than 140 goals that season.

Numbers like those were unique in the history of football.

No one in world football could match his performances.

When the highlights ended, the award presenter slowly took the stage.

He