With the football season finally now finished, talk has already turned to the Ballon d'Or, with a number of candidates emerging during this summer's Copa America and European Championship.
But who are the frontrunners as things stand? We've taken a look at Nine candidates for the prize.


Robert Lewandowski

The Pole had a European Championship to forget, which will likely count against him, but his Bayern Munich excellence shouldn't be overlooked.
Lewandowski broke a long-standing Bundesliga record by netting 41 goals in 29 appearances in 2020/21, but still somehow lost out to Erling Haaland as player of the season in Germany.

Cristiano Ronaldo

27 goals, four assists. Won Coppa Italia & Supercoppa Italiana.
Ronaldo have secured himself the Euro 2020 Golden Boot as he edged out Patrik Schick thanks to a solitary assist, but that will not ease the pain of Portugal's early exit.
Factor in the identity of the now likely Ballon d'Or winner for 2021, and his mood will not have been lifted.

Giorgio Chiellini

The Italian defender would be an unlikely winner, but his performances at Euro 2020 are worthy of serious recognition. The veteran defender built a wall alongside Leonardo Bonucci and in front of Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Italy wouldn't have won the European Championship without him.
No defender has won the prize since Fabio Cannavaro after leading Italy to the 2006 World Cup, and it might be time for that to change now.

Lionel Messi

The out-of-contract Argentine wouldn't have been a serious contender had he not won the Copa America, but guiding Argentina to their first silverware since 1993 cannot be downplayed.
Messi has achieved immortality now with his country - as he already had with Barcelona - and even with the Catalans he showed some of his very best form in 2021.

Jorginho

The much-maligned midfielder is a double European champion, having won the Champions League with Chelsea and the European Championship with Italy.
Both the Champions League and international competitions tend to go a long way to determining the Ballon d'Or winner, so the former Napoli man probably has as good a case as anybody that he should be named the world's best for 2021.

Harry Kane

Had England won Euro 2020, then Kane might well have been the favourite to take the prize. The Tottenham forward took a while to warm up in the tournament, but he stepped up in the knockout rounds.
In the final, though, he was unable to get the better of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci, but he had enjoyed a relatively good summer until then.

Neymar
In 2021: 12 goals, 11 assists. Won Coupe de France & Trophee des Champions.
Neymar was imperious at times during the Copa America, but he could not inspire Brazil to a victory on home soil, meaning he finishes the year without a major trophy to his name.
His chances of claiming the biggest individual prize of them all, meanwhile, are running out fast.

N'Golo Kante

In 2021: One assist. Won Champions League.
Kante's Man-of-the-Match-winning displays in the latter stages of the Champions League might be enough to secure him a place in the top three, but right now it feels as if the Chelsea man is on the outside looking in at the Ballon d'Or podium.

Kylian Mbappe

In 2021: 29 goals, seven assists. Won Coupe de France & Trophee des Champions.
Mbappe may be the cover star of FIFA 22, but a place on the Ballon d'Or podium is now highly unlikely for the PSG forward after a year of memorable Champions League performances but no major trophies.


Mason Mount

Nine goals, four assists. Won Champions League.
Mount played a key role in helping England reach the Euro 2020 final, starting five of their seven matches, and that, coupled with the part he played in Chelsea's Champions League triumph, means he should get one or two Ballon d'Or votes when they are cast later this year.


Source : Obembet



Lalasticlala
Seun
mynd44

The out-of-contract Argentine wouldn't have been a serious contender had he not won the Copa America, but guiding Argentina to their first silverware since 1993 cannot be downplayed.

Your article is outdated....copy and paste

Messi will win it


I am Chelsea fan

It would be one of the most difficult one.
But rule Cr7 and Messi out.

Obembet I am sure you must be crying so much dt Messi won Copa America..

I am very sure you wunt get erection fòr the next 5 months due to the Messi effect on you...

flamingREED:
It would be one of the most difficult one.
But rule Cr7 and Messi out.

Typical example of a failurenaldo fan..

They know rapenaldo has no chances of collecting, so their only prayer now is that messi should not collect too..


REED, MORE PREMIUM TEARS FOR YOU

Current ballon d'or power rankings has Messi in number one spot..

It's 7th ballon d'or for him.

CR7 with his golden boot is nowhere near the team of the Euro 2020. Chai football world is begining to see what we are seeing..

this gee eeh...jus stop all this patronage n accept d fact dt leo have already won his 7th ballon d or award..
cr7 with just 3 goals in dt 2016 euros, didnt complete d finals n still ended up winning d ballon d or very easily..
buT messi dt also won a country cup with Argentina n ended with more goals n assist n even as d best player of d tournament doesnt deserve d ballon d or abi?? Hypocrites them

flamingREED:
It would be one of the most difficult one.
But rule Cr7 and Messi out.

lolz....Rule messi out on wat grounds pls?? sterling, mount n kane is on his joke list but messi dt is a hot favorite should be ruled out abi?? i jus pray make this ur hate for leo no choke u one day...
sterling dt played nothing with city, mount dt was lost all tru dis euros n even kane dt started d euros very late would win ballon d or abi??
d only favorite there is kante but his france performance exposed him..
Mk we de c shaa

Timekeeper:
Obembet I am sure you must be crying so much dt Messi won Copa America..

I am very sure you wunt get erection fòr the next 5 months due to the Messi effect on you...

jus leave am...he's very good n sports n knows messi already have it, he is just trying to impress other cr7 n blues fans....I even dey see mount, kante, sterling and kane....players wey no even fit win common EPL best wan win ballon d or dt VVD with his EPL best and europe best couldn't win

Chloraseptic:
Current ballon d'or power rankings has Messi in number one spot..

It's 7th ballon d'or for him.

CR7 with his golden boot is not even nowhere near the team of the Euro 2020. Chai football world is begining to see what we are seeing..

my brother abeg loud am make messi haters for back hear you...I jus de hear different crazy excuse why leo wont win it..
oga fergie said he wont because its a euros year and ballon d or winner would come from a euro winning team..
another said messi have won enough and won't win it because no b only leo dm do ballon d or for
why one said Jorginho won UCL n euros n would win ahead of Leo...
award wey neyma don already congratulate messi for already n even abembet self know say na leo get am...

Lalasticlala

It's coming home

flamingREED:
It would be one of the most difficult one.
But rule Cr7 and Messi out.

Correct you are a true football fan

do4luv14:


Correct you are a true football fan

lolz...una dey funny o....wats ur reason sir??

Chloraseptic:
Current ballon d'or power rankings has Messi in number one spot..

It's 7th ballon d'or for him.

CR7 with his golden boot is nowhere near the team of the Euro 2020. Chai football world is begining to see what we are seeing..

Ronaldo is in the team of the tournament Oga

obonujoker:

Ronaldo is in the team of the tournament Oga

Give us link now and concrete proof.

This na trash,
The source dey bias & no get credibility.
See as you omitted Messi goals & assist as well as man of the match awards so far for 2021 knowing fully well Messi has the highest combined goal & assist in 2021 and by far the most man of the match award.

flamingREED:
It would be one of the most difficult one.
But rule Cr7 and Messi out.

shame dey catch you? you for rule only Messi out

obonujoker:


Ronaldo is in the team of the tournament Oga

Which team. Portugal team or Juventus team

Chloraseptic:
Current ballon d'or power rankings has Messi in number one spot..

It's 7th ballon d'or for him.

CR7 with his golden boot is nowhere near the team of the Euro 2020. Chai football world is begining to see what we are seeing..

U messi fans are delusionists... disaster in the league and champions league and u think cos he won copa ,he deserves it... y dint neymar win it in 2019 if it was by that... y dint sanchez win it in 2015 or 16.... no player has ever used copato win that cup unless he wins at least the CL

paulolee:

lolz...una dey funny o....wats ur reason sir??

It will choke u very soon... ...u and ur messi will b embarrassed... messi win copa ...dreamers ...after his embarrassing showing in the CL ...he dint even finish in the top 2...

For those saying he will thrive in European Cup should remember that he has been a disaster against European teams in the world cup

So stop fooling urself....copa is trash
....just like he is trash when he jams European teams in the world cup... he has only scored European teams 2 times in all his world cup appearances ( bosnia and serbia) played Germany 3 times , failed to score, France once, failed to score, Belgium, failed to score, Holland, failed to score, Switzerland, failed to score, Croatia, failed to score, Iceland failed to score, Greece failed to score, ...this is ur ewure that u said he will kill Europe....Europe no b South America

Hahahaha... Belike penaldo fans don wake from grave.. Cox since yesterday as Messi lift the cup everwere been silent... All those cowards and goats saying Messi will not smell the Ballon d'or i sorry for you... That award is already at Messi backyard only taking Argentina To copa America final is enough to award him the present.. Should i remind you that Messi has won that award with wining just copa de ray..... The earlier you realize that Balon d'or is awarded base on persnal performance the better for you.... You people should go and ask Luka Modric and Weisny Snijder after wining champions league and also taking their country to Euro final what happend to the ballon d'or... Una eye go neat... As in the gap wey Messi go take win am go too big self... Let's just wait...
The last four contender... Should be
1.... Lionel Messi
2.... Lewandoski
3... Ngolo kante
4... Kayle Mbampe
And if there should be 5 self na Neymar not even your Penaldo man and king of talk in...
If there is a bet on it online just go stake in now with any amount Messi has won it... Your money will come back that i can assure you.. Cox i don stake am already with the money wey i won take do marriage... As he win am finish as i dey marry dey buy car and pack go my personal compound at same time...

Kingcalls:
For those saying he will thrive in European Cup should remember that he has been a disaster against European teams in the world cup

So stop fooling urself....copa is trash
....just like he is trash when he jams European teams in the world cup... he has only scored European teams 2 times in all his world cup appearances ( bosnia and serbia) played Germany 3 times , failed to score, France once, failed to score, Belgium, failed to score, Holland, failed to score, Switzerland, failed to score, Croatia, failed to score, Iceland failed to score, Greece failed to score, ...this is ur ewure that u said he will kill Europe....Europe no b South America

Copa America is trash yet the 3 recognized GOATs ( MESSI, PELE & MARADONA) are from SOUTH AMERICA and they all played Copa America. What if I decide to add Ronaldo De Lima & Ronaldinho to the list?? Football was formed in Europe but Football history will be incomplete without the almighty SOUTH AMERICANS........South American teams do not borrow players to help them win competition like France & Germany. South American have exported more players to Europe than any other continent. Most South American players are indispensable in their various european clubs. South American players have high market value. The most expensive player in the world is from South America. The first team to win the World Cup is from South America (Don't forget football was formed in Europe). The team with the highest number of World Cup is also from South America.

See how you dey mock yourself abi. Messi victory still dey haunt you?

Oya, see teams your european goat dey use padd stats......now tell us how many SA teams your goat don score since you sabi keep record??

Abeg try leave Cigar.......e no good for you!

Kingcalls:


It will choke u very soon... ...u and ur messi will b embarrassed... messi win copa ...dreamers ...after his embarrassing showing in the CL ...he dint even finish in the top 2...

Premium tears awaits you.......what can be more emabarassing than getting knocked out by Porto??

Atleast, he didn't hide against PSG unlike the European goat wey no get shot on target against B-list team.

This thing wey you dey do no make sense.... Why did you omit Messi's personal stats?

Cristiano that could not even make Euro team of tournament?

You CR fans are completely deluded.

Go and check ballon d'or power rankings now of reputable sport sites like Goal.com, SportsKeeda, GivemeSports, ESPN and see better objective Ballon D'or favorite rankings and not a yeye list Obembedi pulled out of her as*. You'd be lucky to find your CR in 8-10th position on those sites. Meanwhile Messi is now the number one favorite according to the experts and even Obembedi acknowledges that. Go and hug transformer if e pain you .

OJEEMAH:
Premium tears awaits you.......what can be more emabarassing than getting knocked out by Porto??

Atleast, he didn't hide against PSG unlike the European goat wey no get shot on target against B-list team.

.... at least he won it in 2018... ur ewure has been a constant failure for over 6 years

OJEEMAH:
Copa America is trash yet the 3 recognized GOATs ( MESSI, PELE & MARADONA) are from SOUTH AMERICA and they all played Copa America. What if I decide to add Ronaldo De Lima & Ronaldinho to the list?? Football was formed in Europe but Football history will be incomplete without the almighty SOUTH AMERICANS........South American teams do not borrow players to help them win competition like France & Germany. South American have exported more players to Europe than any other continent. Most South American players are indispensable in their various european clubs. South American players have high market value. The most expensive player in the world is from South America. The first team to win the World Cup is from South America (Don't forget football was formed in Europe). The team with the highest number of World Cup is also from South America.

See how you dey mock yourself abi. Messi victory still dey haunt you?

Oya, see teams your european goat dey use padd stats......now tell us how many SA teams your goat don score since you sabi keep record??

Abeg try leave Cigar.......e no good for you!

Mumu like u...pele and maradona were recognised cos of the world cup...u want to add ur dwarf to the list with copa America ...u are a joke

Kingcalls:


Mumu like u...pele and maradona were recognised cos of the world cup...u want to add ur dwarf to the list with copa America ...u are a joke

Ode, I pity your life......frustrated he goat as if European goat has seen a WC finals before.

This pain Messi has caused you will haunt you for the rest of your miserable life.

Counter my SA/CA claim oga or shut da fuq up

Kingcalls:


.... at least he won it in 2018... ur ewure has been a constant failure for over 6 years

When Modric & Kroos help him life abii

OJEEMAH:
When Modric & Kroos help him life abii

Stats padding as usual...y didn't modric and kroos help him win it in man u?? Y dint modric and kroos win it in their former clubs...they joined Madrid so that Ronaldo could help them become champs