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#3 Fabio Cannavaro (2006 Ballon d'Or winner)
Italy's 2006 FIFA World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro remains the last defender to win the Ballon d'Or award.
The 2006 winner, though, hasn't picked a defender to win this year's award. The 48-year-old, instead, picked Messi, Lewandowski and Benzema as the likely contenders to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or award.
Cannavaro was quoted as saying in this regard:
"Messi has won the Copa America and done very well, but Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski are candidates too. I don't see a clear favourite, but I think it's between those three."
Indeed, the trio picked by Cannavarao are among the strongest contenders to take home the coveted Ballon d'Or award this year.
During the same interaction, Cannavaro also discussed the 2020 Ballon d'Or award. He said that had the event not got canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lewandowski would have won it.
#2 Patrice Evra (former France and Manchester United player)
Patrice Evra was a distinguished player for club and country. He especially made his name as a world-class player during his time in the Premier League with Manchester United.
Recently, the retired player said there are multiple contenders for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. Providing his support to N'Golo Kante and Jorginho, Evra said:
“In my opinion, this Ballon d'Or is for N'Golo Kante or Jorginho, he deserves it! I do not understand why people say, 'He's just a midfielder' - he won everything, participating a lot in these triumphs."
Evra is also against Messi winning this year's Ballon d'Or award, as the Argentine did little else all year except win the Copa America. He said:
"In my opinion, it's an injustice (if Jorginho does not win it). I'm sick of giving it to (Lionel) Messi. What did he win last year? Okay, the Copa America, but with Barcelona, what did he do? Last year, Jorginho also won trophies that didn't exist, so for me, it's an absolute injustice (if he does not win it)."
It remains to be seen what the jury has decided, when the 2021 Ballon d'Or winner gets announced later tonight.
#1 Thierry Henry (Arsenal legend)
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is arguably one of the finest players to have never won the Ballon d'Or award. Nevertheless, he enjoyed a distinguished career for club and country, winning almost every major title he contended for.
The Frenchman has said it could be a five-horse race between Benzema, Kante, Lewandowski, Jorginho and Messi for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. He said:
"Let's be chauvinistic, I hope it can be him (Karim Benzema) or N'Golo Kanté. Robert Lewandowski would have been elected in 2020 if it had not been canceled. (…) We can also talk about Jorginho because he won everything (Champions League and Euro in 2021) . And there is Leo (Messi) who finally won the Copa America."
The quintet are widely regarded as the likely contenders to take home this year's Ballon d'Or award.
