'%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,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated the footballing world for almost a decade and a half. The duo have won 11 of the last 12 editions of the Ballon d'Or, which is the most prestigious individual prize in football.
Lionel Messi has won the award a record six times while Cristiano Ronaldo is close behind with five. They are inarguably two of the greatest footballers of all time and continue to be elite players despite being on the wrong side of 30.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo changed clubs this summer
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo switched clubs this summer. While the Argentine swapped Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain, Ronaldo returned to his former club Manchester United.
Lionel Messi has taken a while to settle down at the club but scored a brace in PSG's most recent UEFA Champions League tie against RB Leipzig. He seems to have finally hit his stride at his new club. Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to come up clutch for Manchester United.
Despite not being at his very best, Ronaldo has already scored several match-winning goals for the Red Devils. Even though Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have turned in good performances, there are a few other players who have been better than them in the new season.
Without further ado, let's take a look at those players who have had better seasons than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi so far.
#5 Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Perhaps the most surprising inclusion on this list, Florian Wirtz has been an absolute revelation in the new season. The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder has truly announced his arrival with his performances in the opening stages of the new season.
The future looks great for Germany and Bayer Leverkusen as Wirtz is just 18-years-old but is already world-class in a lot of aspects. Though he is primarily an attacking midfielder, Wirtz can play on either wing thanks to his excellent technical abilities.
Not only does the teenager have an eye for goal but he is also wonderful at orchestrating play in tight areas. He nails the weight and direction of his passes and showcases great clarity of thought in the final third.
Wirtz has scored six goals and provided six assists in 12 appearances across all competitions this term and looks set to have a wonderful season at an individual level.
#4 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
Over the past two years, we have gathered sufficient evidence to back the claim that Erling Haaland is nothing short of a freak of nature. The Norwegian international is a natural goalscorer whose predatory instincts in the final third has landed him on the radar of all the top European clubs.
Haaland has been in scintillating form in the new season, scoring 13 goals and providing four assists in just 10 appearances across all competitions for Dortmund. The 21-year-old's explosive pace, ball control and finishing make him one of the most lethal strikers in the world right now.
His contributions have been crucial to Borussia Dortmund sitting second in the Bundesliga, just one point off league leaders Bayern Munich. The scariest thing about Haaland is the fact that he is still just 21-years-old and is still quite a long way away from hitting his peak.
#3 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski is one of the greatest strikers of the 21st century. The Polish international has been an extremely prolific goalscorer for Bayern Munich in recent seasons and he has started the 2021-22 season in the same vein.
The 33-year-old, who is one of the favourites to win the Ballon d'Or this year, has already scored 16 goals and provided an assist in 12 appearances across all competitions this term.
Lewandowski is a brilliant centre-forward whose movement in and around the final third coupled with his incredible technical prowess makes him a threat like no other. He broke Gerd Muller's record of most goals scored in a single Bundesliga season (40) last term by netting 41 in just 29 appearances.
There seems to be no stopping Lewandowski or Bayern Munich at the moment. The Bavarian seems to be focused on making his case for the Ballon d'Or even stronger after missing out on the award last year when it was canceled.
#2 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah is one of the most in-form footballers on the planet right now. He has been sensational for Liverpool in the new season and has been absolutely tearing it up in the new season.
Salah has already scored a few spectacular goals this term and seems to find the back of the net every single time he is on the pitch. In fact, he has scored in each of his last nine appearances across all competitions for the Merseysiders.
Salah scored a match-winning brace against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano to hand Jurgen Klopp's men an important win in the Champions League this week. The 29-year-old has scored 12 goals and provided four assists in 11 appearances across all competitions so far in the 2021-22 season.
#1 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema has worked his way into the 2021 Ballon d'Or conversation thanks to his exploits in the new season. He scored in the semi-final and the final of the UEFA Nations League as France won the competition.
Benzema has been in terrific form for Real Madrid in the 2021-22 season. He has led by example and has played some of the best football of his career this term. In 11 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos so far this season, Benzema has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.
The Frenchman has been performing at an elite level for well over a decade. He has often had to play a supporting role in attack owing to Real Madrid's propensity for housing the biggest stars in the game.
Now that he is the primary goalscorer in the team, he has taken it upon himself to prove that he is one of the most well-rounded strikers the game has ever seen.
