'%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)
Real Madrid star Luka Modric broke the decade long Ronaldo-Messi duopoly of lifting the Ballon d'Or last year. The Croatian ended the dominance of the two footballing greats after a historic run in the World Cup as he lead Croatia to a runners-up finish.
The Ballon d’Or remains the most prestigious individual honor in football, presented to the player deemed to be the world’s best.
Many players simply had an outstanding season which include the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo, Virgil van Dijk, Eden Hazard and many more.
Here we take a look at top 5 contenders who could lift the Ballon d'Or this year.
#5 Sadio Mane
Sadio Mane had an excellent campaign as he finished the season with a UEFA Champions League medal and the Premier League Golden Boot in his bag.
The Senegalese forward netted a career best 22 Premier League goals this season and shared the Golden Boot with his teammate Mohamed Salah. The 27-year-old was vital to Liverpool's dream run to a sixth European Cup as he scored 4 and assisted one in the 13 appearances he made.
His performances against Bayern Munich will be the ones to remember as he bamboozled Manuel Neuer before slotting the ball into the back of the net.
Mane was in the running for the PFA Player of the year award as well but was pipped by his teammate Virgil van Dijk and would have another chance at glory as he leads his country's national team into the African Cup of Nations.
Senegal stand a good chance of winning the title and it could help the Liverpool forward to bolster his chances of inching closer to the Golden Ball.
#4 Mohamed Salah
The Liverpool forward followed up a brilliant first season with the Reds with an even better one. Mohamed Salah helped his side win the UEFA Champions League this season after losing to Real Madrid last year, leaving left the pitch in tears.
The Egyptian scored 22 goals this season which saw him earn a second consecutive Premier League Golden Boot, shared with Arsenal’s Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Sadio Mane.
The Liverpool ace was in contention to lift the Ballon d'Or previous year as well but came in 6th just after 5th placed Lionel Messi.
Salah's contributions in the UEFA Champions League have also not gone unnoticed. His 5 goals in the UCL have been quite instrumental, and his most important one came in the second minute of the finals against Tottenham as he coolly dispatched one from the spot past Hugo Lloris.
The 26-year-old represents his country’s best hope of success in a bid to win the African cup of Nations, and an impressive tournament on the international stage could potentially be rewarded with the Ballon d’Or.
#3 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo made a decision that stun the football world at the end of last season as he left Real Madrid for Juventus.
After enduring a difficult start to life in Turin, the Portuguese finally set in and went on to score 21 goals in 31 appearances for the Bianconeri in the Serie A. The 34-year-old lifted the Scudetto and won the MVP of the year award in his debut season in Italy.
The king of UEFA Champions League nights was brought on board to end Juve's UCL drought. Although the Old Lady were eliminated in the quarter finals, Ronaldo was hardly to blame. The Portuguese' performances against Atletico and Manchester United were just scintillating. Against the Rojiblancos, he overturned the tie all by himself as he scored an amazing hat-trick that sent Juve into the last eight. Yet, despite his best efforts, Juve were knocked out by Ajax as his goals were not enough to save them.
Ronaldo's chances were boosted as he led his side into winning the UEFA Nations League. He sealed a berth for his national side in the finals after scoring a worldly hat-trick against Switzerland as he rolled back the days and led his side's attack against Virgil van Dijk's Netherlands to emerge triumphant.
#2 Lionel Messi
Barcelona icon Lionel Messi takes up the second spot as things stand. The Argentine had one of the best seasons on a personal level but the climax of the season is what could potentially hamper his chances of lifting the coveted trophy.
Messi enjoyed a fantastic season, scoring 36 La Liga goals in 29 starts for the Catalans and claimed the European Golden Shoe for the third consecutive season.
The 31-year-old finished the UEFA Champions League campaign as the highest goal scorer with a tally of 12. His performances against Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United were simply mesmerizing.
The Barcelona ace's chances took a hit when Liverpool humiliated the Spanish giants at Anfield as they won 4-0 to seal the tie 4-3 on aggregate. Meanwhile Barca's no show against Valencia in the Copa Del Rey finals made matters worse.
Lionel Messi's hopes of lifting the Ballon d'Or for the record sixth time lies in the hands of his Copa America camoaign. Argentina are the second favorites to lift the trophy behind Brazil, and if they succeed, Messi would be unstoppable.
#1 Virgil van Dijk
After Fabio Cannavaro in 2006, Virgil van Dijk can become the first defender to win the Ballon d'Or. The Dutch international had a dream first full season with the Reds as he helped them lift the UEFA Champions League, ending their long wait of 14 years.
Van Dijk was crowned the PFA Player of the Year ahead the likes of Mane, Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva after marshaling the Liverpool back line to the league’s best defensive record.
Liverpool's rock has stopped the likes of Aguero, Sterling, Messi and more as he is yet to be dribbled past this season.
The Dutchman's performances throughout the season have been exemplary as he has helped the Reds guard Alisson Becker's goal. His performances against Tottenham in the finals and Barcelona in the second leg would go down as some of the finest in the competition.
The Dutchman even led his national side to the finals of UEFA Nations League but eventually lost to Portugal who beat them 1-0.
