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There is no individual prize in football that's more prestigious than the Ballon d'Or. French news magazine 'France Football' awards the Ballon d'Or in honour of the best performing footballer over the course of a calendar year.
The Ballon d'Or winner is picked on the basis of a combination of votes from journalists, national team coaches and captains. The award was canceled in 2020 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic but is now all set to return this year.
The Ballon d'Or race has been unpredictable this year
Unlike these past few years, it is hard to predict who is going to win the Ballon d'Or this time around. But the decisive performances have all been largely turned in by now and we can only speculate at best.
Here, we take a look at five players who could be leading contenders for the 2022 Ballon d'Or.
Honourable mentions: Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Since leaving Manchester United in the summer of 2019, Romelu Lukaku has firmly established himself as one of the best strikers in Europe. He was a standout performer for Inter Milan as they won the Serie A title in the 2020-21 season after a gap of 11 years.
Lukaku has got off to a good start to his second stint at Chelsea and anything is possible with the side that Tuchel has at his disposal. If the Belgian international can keep scoring goals and help the Blues win titles, he will definitely be a contender next year.
Cristiano Ronaldo might have turned 36 but he is still going strong. He has scored five goals in six appearances for Manchester United in his second stint at the club. He has already scored some match-winning goals for the club and could very well go on to be the kind of goalscoring outlet that Solskjaer's side needs.
#5 Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
French forward Kylian Mbappe was heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid this past summer. He ended up staying put at Paris Saint-Germain and is now part of the most intimidating attacking trio in the world of football alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr.
Mbappe scored 42 goals and provided 11 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions in the 2020-21 season. He hasn't been as prolific in the goalscoring department this term so far, having scored just four goals in 11 appearances across all competitions thus far.
But Mbappe also has five assists to his name. Paris Saint-Germain are already well clear at the top of Ligue 1 and will be hoping to win that elusive Champions League title this season. If they can pull it off and Mbappe is up to his usual tricks, then there's every chance that he will go on to win the Ballon d'Or in 2022.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is also going to play a huge role in the Ballon d'Or race next year. France have one of the strongest squads in the world and it would surprise nobody if they go on to retain the World Cup.
A lack of major trophies has greatly affected Mbappe's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or this year. He will definitely look to change that next time.
#4 Erling Haaland (Norway/Borussia Dortmund)
Borussia Dortmund's goalscoring machine Erling Haaland has already established himself as one of the best strikers on the planet. The technically proficient Norwegian international has all the qualities one would expect of a world-class marksman.
His hold-up play is excellent, displays great spatial awareness and is great with his movement and finishing. He is still just 21-years-old but has been racking up some incredible numbers. Haaland has scored 11 goals and provided four assists in eight matches across all competitions for Borussia Dortmund so far this season.
If he can continue stacking up unreal goalscoring numbers, Haaland will be a top contender in the Ballon d'Or race next year.
#3 Lionel Messi (Argentina/Paris Saint-Germain)
While Lionel Messi is a frontrunner in this year's Ballon d'Or race, we have our apprehensions about how involved he might be next term. After all, Messi's start to life at Paris Saint-Germain has been far from ideal.
The 34-year-old has scored just a single goal in five appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit since making the switch this past summer. With the kind of quality he possesses, there is no doubt that he will come through and deliver big.
However, the level of competition that he is going to face from the elite players on this list is going to be difficult to keep up with. So unless Messi kicks into top gear soon, he might find it hard to wade his way into the Ballon d'Or race next year.
#2 Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah has been running riot in the new Premier League season. The Egyptian international has been in sublime form in the opening stages of the 2021-22 campaign. He has already been the difference maker for the Merseysiders on multiple occasions.
Salah seems to have improved significantly in a few areas. His ball-carrying abilities and assuredness in front of goal have undergone an upgrade and there's an air of inevitability about the way he goes about his business.
In nine appearances across all competitions for Liverpool, Salah has scored nine goals and provided three assists. Jurgen Klopp's men are sitting a point off the top of the Premier League table after seven gameweeks. They look capable of going the full distance this season and there is no doubt that Salah will be at the heart of their exploits.
#1 Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich)
Yet another top contender for this year's Ballon d'Or, Robert Lewandowski, is justified in feeling robbed off the award in its absence last year. The Polish international has been in sensational goalscoring form over the past few seasons.
He seems to be kicking on in the same vein this term as well. Lewandowski has already scored 13 goals and provided an assist in 10 appearances across all competitions for the Bavarians this season.
The 33-year-old is arguably the best striker in the world right now and it does not look like he is going to slow down any time soon. If he keeps it up, Lewandowski will undoubtedly be a worthy contender for the Ballon d'Or in 2022.
