'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAX/2gAIAQEAAAAAgA//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/9oACAECEAAAACf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB/9oACAEDEAAAAH//xAAgEAABAwQCAwAAAAAAAAAAAAADAQIEAAUGEgcREyEj/9oACAEBAAE/AMdxS2Lg1/lSokUxmighE/w6uHv17RaZxvHkMQxLiXcibr8kr//EABkRAAIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIDAAEEE//aAAgBAgEBPwDe9iBHnc//xAAYEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIEE//aAAgBAwEBPwCzN6M//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
France Football has revealed that the nominations for the 2022 men's and women's Ballon d'Or awards will be announced on Friday, August 12.
The awards ceremony itself will take place in Paris on Monday, October 17. This is much earlier than usual due to the upcoming Qatar World Cup, which begins in November.
Lionel Messi is the current holder of football's most prestigious individual honor, as he claimed his record-extending seventh title last year in controversial circumstances ahead of Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski.
Barcelona and Spain superstar Alexia Putellas is the current holder of the women's award. Meanwhile, Pedri won the Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the best young player of the year.
Gianluigi Donnarumma won the Yashin award, which was given to the leading goalkeeper in the world. The Italian won the award following his excellent performances at last summer's European Championships.
This year's Ballon d'Or will be the 66th edition of the annual prize ceremony, with England winger Sir Stanley Matthews being crowned the first winner of the award in 1956.
Who are the leading contenders for the 2022 men's Ballon d'Or award
The undoubted favorite for this year's top prize is Karim Benzema, who enjoyed an extraordinary season for Real Madrid. The French international scored 44 times in 46 appearances. This included15 strikes in 12 Champions League encounters, as he dragged his team to a European Cup and La Liga double.
The importance and timing of Benzema's goals should also not be understated, with his most memorable performance arguably being a 17-minute hat-trick against PSG in Round of 16 of the Champions League.
Other contenders for the crown include Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, whose 31 goals in 51 games helped Jurgen Klopp's men come within touching distance of claiming an unprecedented quadruple last season.
Salah's former teammate Sadio Mane will also be in the conversation to claim the prize. His goals led Senegal to victory in this year's African Cup of Nations and also helped seal World Cup qualification.
Luka Modric is the only player since 2008 to have received the Ballon d'Or other than the iconic duo of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The PSG forward's victory last year was the first occasion the award hasn't been claimed by a La Liga player since Ronaldo's victory 13 years prior to last year's edition while he was at Manchester United.
