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#3 Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Not many would have expected Karim Benzema to challenge for the Ballon d'Or award ahead of his more illustrious former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. However, the French forward has truly stepped out from the Portuguese star's shadow.
Benzema was sensational for Real Madrid in the 2020-21 season, scoring 30 goals and assisting nine in 46 appearances across competitions. He followed that up with a blistering start to the new season.
He already has 14 goals and eight assists in just 16 games across competitions for Los Blancos. Interestingly, frontrunner Lionel Messi named Benzema as a potential Ballon d'Or winner earlier this year.
Benzema remains positive about his chances of winning the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. Last month, he said:
“Since I was little, I have had the dream of winning the Ballon d’Or, which is the dream that all footballers have. It is true that the most important thing is always the team. But when you help your team to win, when you are involved in important plays, and score a lot of goals, the next thing is to win the Ballon d’Or, which is in my thoughts."
"Of course, I am going to do everything possible. I am going to work as hard as possible to have that great trophy. To hopefully win it one day, and fulfill that dream that I have had since I was a child,” added the Real Madrid star.
#2 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Arguably Lionel Messi's only true challenger for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award, Robert Lewandowski has picked up from where he left off last year. The Bayern Munich and Poland star was incredibly unlucky after the 2020 Ballon d'Or award was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When asked which player deserved the 2020 Ballon d'Or award, Lewandowski was straightforward in his response:
"Me.We won everything we could with Bayern. In every competition - Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League - I was the top scorer. I think a player who achieves that would win the Ballon d'Or award."
Robert Lewandowski's numbers since the start of the 2019-20 season are straight out of a video game.
The striker has scored a phenomenal 128 goals to go with 21 assists in just 106 appearances for Bayern Munich. This year, though, he doesn't seem to be worried about the award despite being backed by superstars such as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Suarez, in particular, had a hilarious response when asked about the Ballon d'Or award.
"Give Lewandowski the Ballon d'Or, damn it! If not, I'll give you mine!" Suarez joked earlier this year.
Lewandowski remains cautiously optimistic on his 2021 Ballon d'Or chances, though:
“I stopped thinking about it too much. It would certainly not help me to think about my chances of winning it, the speculations and the leaks in the media. I prefer to focus on something else," he recently said.
"Maybe when the gala gets closer, I’ll start to think about it. It’s the beginning of November, so there’s still some time. Of course the Ballon d’Or is a great award, but there’s no need to think about it, because I still have a lot to do before and after the gala,” Lewandowski added.
#1 Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
It looks increasingly likely that PSG and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi will win a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or award later this week.
The little magician is a deserving winner after a terrific 2020-21 campaign that saw him register 38 goals and 18 assists in his final season with Barcelona. More importantly, he powered Argentina to Copa America glory, while also being named the Player of the Tournament.
On the verge of making history, Lionel Messi remains calm ahead of the 2021 Ballon d'Or award ceremony. When asked about the award earlier this month, Lionel Messi made it clear that winning an international trophy with Argentina is what gives him the most pride.
“If I'm honest, I don't think so. My biggest prize was what I was able to achieve with the national team," said Messi.
Although he admitted that winning the Ballon d'Or award would be a positive, Messi suggested that he has already achieved the biggest goal of his decorated career.
"After having fought and fought so hard for that (Copa America) achievement, it was the best for all it cost. If the Ballon d’Or arrives. it would be extraordinary. Winning one more, the seventh, would be crazy."
"If not, nothing happens. I have already achieved one of my great goals. I am very happy for what happened. Now, whatever has to happen, will happen,” Lionel Messi signed off.
