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The Ballon d'Or is, without doubt, the most prestigious individual prize in football. It has been difficult for nearly every footballer to even get a look-in as far as the award is concerned over the past decade. That is because the pair of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won 11 of the last 12 Ballon d'Ors.
Cristiano Ronado and Lionel Messi have dominated the Ballon d'Or race in the last decade
Luka Modric is the only player to beat them both to the award in the last 13 years. So it's fair to say that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have exercised a duopoly of sorts over the Ballon d'Or.
Despite being well into their 30s, both Messi and Ronaldo continue to be two of the best players in the world. But we might be coming to the very end of their rivalry. Starting next year, we could see the Ballon d'Or going to other prominent players.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five possible future Ballon d'Or rivalries.
#5 Ansu Fati and Federico Chiesa
Ansu Fati is one of Barcelona's most prized assets right now. The teenager has been sensational for the Catalans in the limited time he has featured. That is precisely why they have added a €1 billion release clause to his contract.
Fati has inherited the legendary #10 shirt at Barcelona previously worn by Lionel Messi. He has scored 21 goals and provided nine assists in 60 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona already in his senior career. He looks set to go on to achieve great things.
Federico Chiesa was one of Italy's standout performers at Euro 2020. The Juventus winger has great technical ability and he compounds that with incredible work rate and intelligence.
Chiesa is already an elite attacker at the age of 24 and will hit his peak over the coming years. Chiesa and Fati could be two players who rival each other for the top individual honour in football in the future.
#4 Phil Foden and Pedri
Phil Foden has established himself as one of the best attackers in the Premier League. The technically proficient Englishman can play in a number of positions across midfield and the frontline. He showcases wonderful ball control and is very difficult to dispossess.
Foden has become one of Pep Guardiola's most potent weapons and he is almost certain to be a mainstay in the Ballon d'Or race in the future. Pedri is a maverick midfielder who has already impressed immensely at the age of 18.
The Barcelona midfielder has already drawn comparisons to the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta. His technique is impeccable and is an extremely intelligent footballer who knows how to dictate the tempo of a game from the centre of the park.
Pedri was named the Best Young Player at Euro 2020 for his exploits with Spain as they reached the semi-finals of the tournament. Pedri and Foden are very likely to go head to head in future Ballon d'Or races.
#3 Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne
Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne are two of the finest playmakers in Europe. Both players have entirely different ways of going about their business. Fernandes is a risk taker who can pull off the unthinkable with his quick thinking and technical ability.
He is an extremely intelligent footballer whose spatial awareness is simply world-class. But the risk-taking nature of his game could lead to his side losing possession a number of times during the course of a game.
Kevin De Bruyne, on the other hand, is a precise passer who is also excellent at reading the game. He knows how to play inch perfect through balls to his attackers and is a force to be reckoned with in midfield.
De Bruyne has now won the PFA Players' Player of the Year for two years running. Fernandes clocked some incredible numbers for Manchester United during the 2020-21 season. He scored 28 goals and provided 17 assists in 58 appearances across all competitions.
De Bruyne equalled Thierry Henry's record for most assists in a single Premier League season by racking up 20 in the 2019-20 season. This is a rivalry that deserves a Ballon d'Or audience.
#2 Mohamed Salah and Neymar Jr.
Mohamed Salah is arguably the most in-form footballer in the world right now. He has been scoring goals for fun and making professional football look like child's play. The Egyptian international has already scored a handful of wonderful goals in the 2021-22 season and has been the main man for Liverpool this term.
Salah's pace, dribbling ability and finishing make him one of the deadliest attackers in the game right now. He has been clocking incredible numbers for Liverpool as well. If the Merseysiders can go onto win some silverware this season, Salah will be the frontrunner for the 2022 Ballon d'Or the way things are going.
Neymar Jr. has been one of the best footballers in the world over the past decade. The Brazilian international is one of the most exciting players on the planet. If he can keep injuries at bay, he will be a regular in the Ballon d'Or race in the coming years.
Now that Messi has also joined PSG, they are title-favourites in a number of competitions. If Neymar can keep his form and win trophies, he will be challenging for the Ballon d'Or quite soon and is very likely to be pitted against Mohamed Salah.
#1 Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland
This is perhaps the most predictable inclusion on this list. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are widely viewed as successors to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Mbappe and Haaland are two of the most sought-after players on the planet right now.
At the age of 22, Mbappe has already had a wonderful career. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has been sensational for PSG in recent seasons. In the 2020-21 season, he scored 42 goals and provided 11 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Haaland scored 41 goals and provided 11 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for Borussia Dortmund last term. Those are the kind of numbers that land you right in the Ballon d'Or conversation. Mbappe and Haaland are both extremely athletic players who are also prolific goalscorers.
They are expected to share a rivalry that dominates the Ballon d'Or race in the future.
