theScore's Top 20 footballers of 2015: No. 5-1

With 2015 coming to an end, theScore is reflecting on the year that was by counting down the top 20 players in world football over the past 12 months.

The rankings have been compiled after tallying votes from theScore's contingent of footy editors: Armen Bedakian, Gord Brunt, Carlo Campo, Michael J. Chandler, Anthony Lopopolo, Daniel Rouse, and Gianluca Nesci. Each was asked to produce their own top-20 list for the calendar year, with a point system used to create the cumulative rankings. Players were awarded 20 points for a first-place vote, 19 for second place, all the way down to a solitary point for being ranked 20th. In the event of a tie on points, the player with more total votes was awarded the higher ranking.

Top 20 footballers of 2015: The Countdown

• No. 20 - 16
• No. 15 - 11
• No. 10 - 6

And now, the main attractions ...

5. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Robert Lewandowski is (probably) a robot put on earth simply to torment defenders, goalkeepers, and opposing managers who cannot for the life of them figure out a way to stop the Polish superstar from finding the back of the net. At no point over the past year was this more evident than in his instantly legendary five-goal haul against Wolfsburg in September, when Lewandowski, on as a second-half substitute, scored a quintet of goals in just nine minutes to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 5-1 victory. "I have never in my life witnessed something like this whether as a player or a coach," Pep Guardiola said after the scoring explosion. This is a man who spent much of his career watching Lionel Messi every single day. As far as compliments go, they don't get much better.

4. Luis Suarez (Barcelona)

The final piece of the puzzle for Barcelona. Just imagine what he could have accomplished were it not for the lengthy ban that resulted from his on-field Italian snack at the 2014 World Cup. But, given the year he did have upon his return, it seems foolish to focus on the negative. Scoring more than 40 goals for club and country in 2015, Luis Suarez became something of a linchpin for the Blaugrana; his clever movement, interplay with the other two members of the world's most fearsome attacking trident, and ability to not only finish chances, but make them for teammates were vital to the club achieving enormous success over the past 12 months.

3. Neymar (Barcelona)

While it was an absolute pleasure to watch Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi go toe-to-toe, goal-for-goal throughout the calendar year, arguably more enjoyable - and a more exciting development for the future of the sport - was the completion of Neymar's transition to superstardom. At just 23 years old, the Brazilian attacker's awe-inspiring trickery has now been complimented with a ruthlessness in front of goal - highlighted when he assumed added responsibility in the injury-induced absence of Messi. The lithe forward found the net 41 times for Barcelona in 2015, and is now not only the automatic answer to "who's best after Messi and Ronaldo," he's pushing the latter for the runner-up spot behind only his otherworldly teammate.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

You hate him because he's arrogant. You hate him because he's handsome, built like a Greek God, and a global celebrity who has his own line of underwear. After watching it 52 times over the last 12 months (between club and country) you probably don't enjoy his signature goal celebration, either. You hate him, in short, because he's one of the very best footballers on the planet, and he damn well knows it. Cristiano Ronaldo, even in a year that was viewed by most as a step backward for the 30-year-old Portuguese captain - a sign of his inevitable decline, if you will - was bested by only one man. There's certainly no shame in that. And yet, the Real Madrid forward, who surpasses Raul as the club's all-time scoring leader this year, will not be pleased with that development. That is precisely the reason why he continues to find himself in the upper echelon of lists just like this one.

1. Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Simply the best. That is all.