'%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)
#3 Lionel Messi
Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi has not had a good couple of years at Barcelona. The Argentine genius has already played under three different managers over the past year and has been visibly below his best both in Spain in Europe.
Despite Barcelona's underwhelming performances in the recent past, Lionel Messi's numbers tell a different story. After a slow start to the La Liga season under Ronald Koeman, Messi has made his way to 11 goals in the league and will likely mount another challenge for the Ballon d'Or in the coming months.
Barcelona have shown signs of a resurgence in recent weeks but still have plenty of work to do to restore their former glory. Lionel Messi's own future remains unclear as the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are vying for the Argentine's signature. With Messi's talents, however, the Ballon d'Or is always within reach.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo has enjoyed an incredible career and continues to wreak havoc in Italy with Juventus. The Portuguese superstar has won five Ballon d'Ors in his decorated career and will want to draw level with arch-rival Lionel Messi with another individual award this year.
Ronaldo was in contention to win the Ballon d'Or in 2020 and will have to battle against fierce competition to secure the coveted prize. Juventus are yet to hit their peak under Andrea Pirlo and rely heavily on Cristiano Ronaldo at the moment and pull the side across the finish line in the Serie A on a weekly basis.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi share an incredible rivalry and the Ballon d'Or has found a way to become a marker of greatness for the two modern-day legends. Ronaldo has already scored 15 goals in only 13 league matches this season and will have to take it up a notch in the UEFA Champions League to become the frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or this year.
#1 Robert Lewandowski
Of all the illustrious names that have remained in contention for the Ballon d'Or over the past two years, Robert Lewandowski will have arguably felt the most hard done by after France Football's decision to do away with the 2020 edition of the prize. Lewandowski definitively deserved to win the Ballon d'Or last year after a sensational treble-winning campaign with Bayern Munich and a flurry of goals in Germany and in Europe.
The 2020-21 campaign has seen Bayern Munich derailed by a considerable number of defensive lapses. Robert Lewandowski remains the silver lining, however, and has already scored an astonishing 21 goals in only 14 Bundesliga appearances. The Bavarian giants face Lazio in the next round of the UEFA Champions League and will have to work hard to keep their crown.
The Ballon d'Or is the most decorated individual prize in the world of football and Robert Lewandowski's incredible career entitles him to a fair shot at the prize. The Polish striker is still one of Bayern Munich's most important players and remains in the driver's seat to lift the Ballon d'Or in 2021.
Also Read: 5 Barcelona players who have improved under Ronald Koeman
