Ballon d'Or Power Rankings: May 2021

The Ballon d'Or is football's most prestigious individual prize. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have completely dominated the awards in the last decade, with Luka Modric the only player to break their duopoly in 2018.

The Ballon d'Or is back once again this year after it was canceled in 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The usual suspects like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo do make the top 10 but are not quite the favorites for the award this year.

2021 Ballon d'Or could see a new winner

There have been some incredible individual performances this year. From Robert Lewandowski's incredible goalscoring record in the Bundesliga to N'Golo Kante's stunning performances in midfield, plenty of players have stepped up and put in some stunning displays.

This year's Ballon d'Or race is heating up and could go right down to the wire. Without further ado, let's take a look at the Ballon d'Or power rankings for the month of May 2021.

#10 Erling Haaland - Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund v Bayer 04 Leverkusen - Bundesliga

Winner of the UEFA Champions League golden boot this season, Erling Haaland has been in fine goalscoring form for Borussia Dortmund. The Norwegian superstar has scored an incredible 27 goals in just 28 Bundesliga appearances this season and only finished behind Robert Lewandowski and Andre Silva in the goalscoring charts in Germany.

Blessed with electric pace, Haaland's clinical finishing was crucial to Borussia Dortmund's third-place finish in the Bundesliga. The 20-year-old superstar has been linked with a big money move this summer. However, he recently reiterated his commitment towards Borussia Dortmund.

With Norway not qualifying for Euro 2020, Haaland will not have the opportunity to impress on the international stage this year and could slide out of the top 10 in Ballon d'Or power rankings next month.

#9 Bruno Fernandes - Manchester United

Villarreal CF v Manchester United - UEFA Europa League Final

One of the best midfielders in world football at the moment, Bruno Fernandes has had another great season for Manchester United. The Portuguese midfielder scored and created plenty of goals for the Red Devils this year, but unfortunately fell just short of winning a major trophy in the Europa League final against Villarreal.

At one point, Bruno Fernandes was the nailed-on favorite to win the PFA Player of the year award, however his form has tailed off slightly in recent weeks.

With Euro 2020 coming up, Fernandes will be looking to impose himself on the competition and guide the defending champions to victory. The Manchester United star is more than capable of winning games singlehandedly and could be ranked higher in next month's Ballon d'Or power rankings.

#8 Kevin De Bruyne - Manchester City

Manchester City v Chelsea FC - UEFA Champions League Final

Arguably the most complete midfielder in world football at the moment, Kevin De Bruyne has sparkled once again this year. An integral part of Manchester City's Premier League win and run to the UEFA Champions League final, the Belgian will be hoping to be fully fit ahead of Euro 2020.

Although De Bruyne has struggled with some fitness issues this year, the Manchester City star has sparkled whenever he has played. After falling narrowly short of winning the UEFA Champions League trophy, De Bruyne will be even hungrier to make a telling impact in the coming months and make his way up the Ballon d'Or power rankings.

Blessed with incredible vision, passing skills and creativity, De Bruyne is undoubtedly one of the best players in the Premier League at the moment.

Also read: 5 England players who could win the Ballon d'Or in the future

#7 Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur

Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League

Harry Kane would probably have been the favorite for the Ballon d'Or award this year if he had won some major trophies with Tottenham. The England international had a stunning season individually and won both the Premier League Golden Boot award and the Premier League Playmaker of the season award.

Kane has been heavily linked with a move away from Tottenham in this transfer window and it will be interesting to see where he ends up next season. For now, the England captain will be firmly focussed on Euro 2020.

England have a good squad and Harry Kane will need to fire on all cylinders if England are to break their jinx and finally win an international trophy. A stellar performance in the Euros could see Harry Kane rise in the Ballon d'Or power rankings next month.

#6 Ruben Dias - Manchester City

Manchester City v Everton - Premier League

Undoubtedly the best signing of the season, Ruben Dias completely transformed Manchester City's backline. A calm and composed centre-half, Dias is good on the ball and excellent in the air.

An ever-present in Manchester City's all-conquering Premier League side, Dias would have been ranked much higher on the Ballon d'Or power rankings list if his side had managed to win the UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea.

While winning the Ballon d'Or this year might be unlikely for Ruben Dias, there is no denying the fact that he is one of the best players in world football at the moment.

#5 Cristiano Ronaldo - Juventus

Atalanta BC v Juventus - TIMVISION Cup Final

One of the greatest players to ever play the game, 5-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is at #5 on our list. Winner of the Serie A Golden Boot award, Ronaldo's future has been subject to intense speculation in the last few weeks.

The 36-year-old superstar has shown age is just a number and has continued to score goals at a mind-boggling rate. Although Juventus did not win the Serie A this year, Ronaldo did manage to add 2 more trophies to his cabinet by winning the Copa Italia and the Supercoppa.

In what could be one of his last major international tournaments, Cristiano Ronaldo will be determined to lead Portugal from the front at Euro 2020.

#4 Lionel Messi - Barcelona

FC Barcelona v RC Celta - La Liga Santander

Just ahead of his eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi takes the number 4 position in our Ballon d'Or power rankings list. The Barcelona legend has had a stunning 2021 and broke plenty of goalscoring records in the second half of the season.

With his contract running out soon, Lionel Messi's future just like Cristiano Ronaldo's has been subject to intense speculation in the last few months.

For now, Messi's full focus is on the Argentina national team. With 2 important World Cup qualifiers and the Copa America coming up, Messi could finally win a major international trophy this year.

The 6-time Ballon d'Or winner will look to do everything in his power to win that elusive international trophy this summer.

Also read: 5 footballers who could win the Ballon d'Or in 2025

#3 Kylian Mbappe - Paris Saint-Germain

Paris Saint-Germain v FC Bayern Munich - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final 3: Leg Two

Undoubtedly a Ballon d'Or winner in the future, Kylian Mbappe has cemented his position as one of the best footballers in the world at the moment. The 22-year-old was PSG's most dangerous player and put in some stunning performances in Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League.

Mbappe really showed his class in the Champions League matches against Barcelona and Bayern Munich this season. A clinical finisher, Mbappe's blistering pace can cause problems for any defense in the world.

Already a World Cup champion, Kylian Mbappe will be looking to inspire a star studded French squad to continental glory at Euro 2020.

#2 N'Golo Kante - Chelsea

N'Golo Kante might not be the most flashy of players, but he is definitely one of the most effective players in world football at the moment. Man-of-the-match performances in both the legs of the semi-finals and finals of the UEFA Champions League have helped propel Kante into the limelight.

The French superstar might not have a Ballon d'Or award on his mind, but if he ends up playing a starring role for France in the Euros, he might well win football's most prestigious individual prize at the end of the year.

Defensive midfielders very rarely get attention in the Ballon d'Or awards race, however Kante certainly deserves all the praise and plaudits coming his way.

#1 Robert Lewandowski - Bayern Munich

FC Bayern Muenchen v FC Augsburg - Bundesliga

Unlucky to miss out on the Ballon d'Or last year, Robert Lewandowski, if possible, has been in even better goalscoring form this year. The Polish superstar has put in some incredible numbers this season, scoring an astonishing 41 goals in just 29 Bundesliga appearances.

Undoubtedly the best striker in world football at the moment, Lewandowski's positioning, finishing skills and movement have tormented defenses in Germany this season.

Winner of the Bundesliga top scorer award and breaking Gerd Muller's long-standing record of 40 goals in a single season, Lewandowski's individual numbers deserve a Ballon d'Or award.

If Lewandowski continues to put up such unbelievable numbers, nothing can stop him from claiming the Ballon d'Or award in 2021.

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About the author

A sports enthusiast with an interest in football. I like to keep a keen eye on how certain players can impact or change the entire way a team plays.

Some of the athletes and sportsmen I admire are - Virat Kohli, Diego Maradona and Rafa Nadal

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Edited by Ashwin