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The 2021 Ballon d'Or race promises to go right down to the wire. This year's 30-man shortlist comprises many strong contenders who have won big titles with club or country; a few of them have done so with both.
Once again, this year's shortlist consists of the usual suspects Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and a few others like Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho, among others.
With the winner to be announced on Monday, many eminent players have made their picks for the 2021 Ballon d'Or winner. On that note, here's a look at the same:
#10 Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich and Germany) - Robert Lewandowski
Thomas Muller has been a key player for club and country. The 32-year-old has won the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany and countless titles with Bayern Munich, including two continental trebles.
Unsurprisingly, he has picked his Bayern teammate Robert Lewandowski to win this year's Ballon d'Or award. The Pole has scored over 300 goals since arriving at the club seven years ago.
He has been on fire in the last two years, scoring over 100 goals for club and country, and winning big titles galore.
Muller said about Lewandowski to Sky Deutschland:
"Lewy has to win it (2021 Ballon d’ Or). He’s absolutely deserved it. Lewy won everything with us. Then the award was cancelled, then he went on and broke the goal-scoring record in Germany this season.
"When you see what he's doing with the Polish national team - which is more difficult than in a real top team. I have to say there isn't one player who individually performed better. Lewy has to win the Ballon d’Or."
Lewandowski will be a deserving winner of the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. After missing out on it last year, as the award got canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pole has delivered the goods this year too.
It remains to be seen if the jury will think likewise on Monday.
#9 Angel Di Maria (PSG and Argentina) - Lionel Messi
Angel Di Maria is one of the most underrated players in the game. But he has won big titles galore - UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, multiple league titles with PSG and Copa America with Argentina this summer.
He has picked his PSG and Argentina teammate Lionel Messi to win this year's Ballon d'Or award.
Di Maria said that Messi deserves the award because of leading Argentina from the front to end their near three-decade-long trophy drought.
"Yes, I think so. He (Messi) has had an important year in his career. To win the Copa America with his country after so many things that happened to him in the national team, he finally won it. Just for that he deserves it."
Messi won a record-extending eighth Pichichi award this year, but failed to win the La Liga title.
However, he bagged four goals and five assists in Argentina's triumphant Copa America 2021 campaign - his first international title. For that alone, Messi has emerged as an overwhelming favorite to win a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or title.
Messi has scored just once in seven Ligue 1 games since moving to PSG. But he did star with a hat-trick of assists in the league leaders' 3-1 win at St. Etienne.
#8 Kevin De Bruyne (Ballon d'Or 2021 contender) - Robert Lewandowski
Kevin De Bruyne is himself a contender for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. However, the Manchester City and Belgium midfielder has no qualms in admitting that Robert Lewandowski's exploits during the year stand head and shoulders above anybody else's.
De Bruyne said about the Pole:
"If I have to choose, I'm looking at the two-year period because we didn't have one last year so I'd choose Lewandowski for what he has done in the last two years goalscoring-wise. He'd be my pick."
De Bruyne couldn't have been more right. Lewandowski has scored over 100 goals for club and country in the last two years. He has won two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League title, among others.
#7 Paul Pogba (Manchester United and France) - N'Golo Kante
Paul Pogba has divided opinion like few else, but there is no denying the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner's ability.
The Frenchman started his 2021-22 campaign on a tear, racking up seven assists in his first few league games before going off the boil. Currently out injured, Pogba has picked his compatriot N'Golo Kante to win this year's Ballon d'Or.
He said in this regard during a Eurosport podcast:
"We talk a lot about his performances but he has always been as good as ever. I said a long time ago that it would be appropriate, if Chelsea won, for him to win the Ballon d’Or. It would be deserved too."
Kante did play a key role in Chelsea's Champions League win last season. However, he failed to win Euro 2020 with France this summer, which could go against him in the Ballon d'Or 2021 final reckoning.
Les Bleus were eliminated by Switzerland in a penalty shootout in the Round of 16.
#6 Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid and Brazil) - Karim Benzema
Vinicius Junior has picked his Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema to win this year's Ballon d'Or award.
The Brazilian has been on a tear this campaign, racking up 10 goals and eight assists across competitions for the La Liga leaders. Unsurprisingly, he has picked his strike partner Benzema, who has scored goals galore for club and country this year.
Vinicius said about his French teammate's Ballon d'Or credentials:
"Now I've played more time with Benzema, and we know each other way better; he's a great, great player, and he always helps me. I want to help him score many goals this season, and I hope he can win the Ballon d'Or."
Benzema recently scored his 200th La Liga goal and is leading the competition's scoring charts this campaign. He has also scored nine times on his return to the international fold after six years.
#5 Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla and former Croatia international) - Karim Benzema
Ivan Rakitic has had a successful career for club and country. The Sevilla midfielder starred in Croatia's run to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final.
Rakitic, who won trophies galore with Lionel Messi at Barcelona, has surprisingly picked Karim Benzema to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. He said:
"What Karim has been doing for years is simply amazing! He's been at Real for so long… And yet he still scores as much! And often important goals!
"Since Cristiano's departure he has clearly become the leader. He is simply unique and I would like to congratulate him on that. I wish him to continue like this except against us!
"He could perfectly well be a Ballon d'Or… At Réal, there is him and the others. His current state of form keeps Madrid racing in all competitions. He scores in big games. He is always present at major events."
It remains to be seen if Benzema wins his first Ballon d'Or award ahead of other contenders who won major titles with club and country this year.
#4 Luis Suarez (former teammate of six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi) - Lionel Messi
Luis Suarez is one of the most prolific strikers to have graced the game since the turn of the century.
He scored goals and won big titles galore with Lionel Messi during his six-season stint at Barcelona. Unsurprisingly, the Atletico Madrid striker has picked the Argentine to win a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or award on Monday.
Suarez said in this regard:
"I think Leo deserves to be the Ballon d’Or because he has had a spectacular year on a personal level despite only winning the Copa del Rey with Barcelona.
"What he performed on a personal level being the top scorer and top assistant in La Liga, obtaining the Copa America being also the top scorer and top assistant makes him even bigger to have it."
"Because in the Ballon d’Or, you should not only look at what one has done in the year but also you have to see what he is like as a player, seeing what he does year after year. I think he has no rival."
Indeed, Messi has emerged as the frontrunner for this year's Ballon d'Or award because of his heroics in Argentina's triumphant Copa America 2021 campaign.
#3 Gerard Pique (former teammate of six-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi) - Lionel Messi
Gerard Pique, a former teammate of six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, won two continental trebles and countless league and other titles with the Argentine.
He has seen Messi's prowess from close quarters. Hence, it's unsurprising that Pique thinks his former teammate should win his seventh Ballon d'Or award this year.
Speaking about the 34-year-old's credentials for this year's award, Pique was quoted as saying:
"The Ballon d'Or? If the winner is voted by the criteria, it's Messi. If they choose the best in the world, it's Messi too."
However, there are other strong contenders like Jorginho and Robert Lewandowski in the fray too. The duo played key roles for club and country in winning major titles during the year.
So it remains to be seen if Messi will create more Ballon d'Or history on Monday.
#2 Mason Mount (Ballon d'Or 2021 contender) - Four other contenders
Mason Mount has come of age since breaking into the Chelsea first team in 2019. The 21-year-old has become a key player for club and country.
After winning the Champions League last season with the Blues, Mount was a part of the England team that made the Euro 2020 final, where they lost to Italy. Those exploits earned him a nomination for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award.
However, the young Englishman has picked four other contenders over himself to win the prestigious accolade this year. He said:
"There are a lot of players who can claim it. Like (Robert) Lewandowski, considering the number of goals he has scored and the way he weighs in matches.
"Recently, Mohamed Salah has also been unplayable. And obviously, as a Chelsea player, I'm going to name my club teammates like Jorgi (Jorginho), who won the Euro and the Champions League, as well as NG (N'Golo Kante), who is quite simply one of the best players in the world."
Mount also revealed his delight at being on the same shortlist as Lionel Messi, who is a strong contender to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or award.
#1 Lionel Messi (six-time Ballon d'Or winner) - two other contenders
Lionel Messi is a huge contender to win a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or award this year.
Despite his modest exploits in terms of club trophies in 2021 - Copa Del Rey - Messi won his eighth Pichichi award.
He then bagged four goals and five assists in Argentina's triumphant Copa America 2021 campaign - catapulting him as a frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or award this year.
Nevertheless, when asked about the contenders for this year's award, Messi picked his PSG teammates Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, as well as Robert Lewandowski, saying:
"In my team, there are two for whom I will easily vote: Ney & Kylian. And then Lewandowski, who has just had a great year. There's also Benzema who has been excellent."
With about 24 hours to go before the 2021 Ballon d'Or winner gets announced, Messi is widely tipped to win this year's award. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen what transpires on Monday.
