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The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual prize in football. We're in the final phase of the race for this year's Ballon d'Or. In fact, we're just a week away from the official ceremony. A new footballer will be crowned the best player in the world in about seven days' time.
The Ballon d'Or winner is chosen on the basis of a combination of votes from journalists, national team captains and coaches. As opposed to previous years, it is extremely difficult to predict which footballer is going to be walking away with the Ballon d'Or this time.
Ballon d'Or 30-man shortlist was released in October
The race for the great prize was narrowed down to 30 men as French news magazine France Football released a shortlist in early October. There are plenty of worthy contenders on the list but it's hard to pick one as a sure shot winner.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the final Ballon d'Or Power Rankings for 2021.
#10 Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne was a standout performer in a dominant Manchester City side that won the Premier League and League Cup in the 2020-21 season. He would have received a major boost in the Ballon d'Or race had City gone on to beat Chelsea in the final of the UEFA Champions League last term.
However, it was not to be for the Belgian international and a Champions League title remains elusive as far as Manchester City are concerned. De Bruyne turned in a few good performances at Euro 2020 but Belgium's campaign ended in the quarter-finals against Italy.
De Bruyne won the PFA Players' Player of the Year for a second consecutive time this year. He scored 10 goals and provided 18 assists in 40 appearances for Manchester City last term. However, he is yet to truly hit his stride in the new season.
#9 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Manchester United)
It has not been easy sailing for Cristiano Ronaldo in the new season. Manchester United have been crawling in the league and it has led to the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Ronaldo has been on call to produce a handful of rescue acts already this season but those performances have mostly come in the Champions League.
Ronaldo was reduced to tears as Serbia sent Portugal off to the playoffs in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers earlier this month. The Portuguese international has had a decent 2021 at an individual level. He won the Serie A Golden Boot in the 2020-21 season, scoring 29 goals in 33 appearances in the league.
He followed it up by winning the Golden Boot at Euro 2020, scoring five goals and providing an assist in four appearances at the tournament. However, a lack of major trophies sees him languish at ninth in our Ballon d'Or Power Rankings.
#8 Erling Haaland (Norway/Borussia Dortmund)
We won't be seeing Erling Haaland at the 2022 FIFA World Cup as Norway have failed to qualify for the finals. Borussia Dortmund's goalscoring machine will be missed at the tournament. Haaland has been a beast out front for the Bundesliga outfit.
He won the DFB Pokal with Dortmund in the 2020-21 season. The 21-year-old scored 41 goals and provided 11 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for his club. Haaland, who is currently sidelined with an injury, has 13 goals and four assists to his name in just 10 appearances this term.
He may not make the Ballon d'Or podium this year but is expected to dominate proceedings in the years to come.
#7 N'Golo Kante (France/Chelsea)
N'Golo Kante was Chelsea's best player as they won the UEFA Champions League last term. Kante produced multiple matchwinning performances in the knockout stages of Europe's elite competition.
However, he had a rather underwhelming summer as France were kicked out of Euro 2020 in the Round of 16. Kante also missed France's semi-final and final games in the UEFA Nations League after contracting the coronavirus.
The 30-year-old was named UEFA Midfielder of the Year for his heroics. He is a huge asset to both club and country thanks to his defensive abilities, link-up play and incredible work ethic.
#6 Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe scored a goal each in the semi-finals and final of the UEFA Nations League as France went on to win the title. It was a great response after he had dropped a dud at Euro 2020. Mbappe has been one of the best players on the planet for several years now.
He was sensational for Paris Saint-Germain last term, scoring 42 goals and providing 11 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions. He scored a hat-trick at the Camp Nou against Barcelona before bagging a brace at the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich last term.
However, PSG's run in the Champions League ended in the semi-finals and they lost the Ligue 1 title to Lille.
#5 Jorginho (Italy/Chelsea)
Jorginho has had a great summer. He was instrumental in Chelsea's Champions League triumph. The 29-year-old did a great job for Italy in the center of the park as Roberto Mancini's men won the European championship.
Jorginho was named UEFA Footballer of the Year for his achievements. His technical proficiency, passing range and ability to excel on both sides of the pitch have earned him plenty of praise.
However, things have become a little bleak for Italy in recent weeks. Jorginho missed a crucial late penalty in Italy's World Cup Qualifier against Switzerland. If he had netted it, Italy would have qualified for the World Cup. They subsequently played out a goalless draw with Northern Ireland and are now headed to the playoffs.
While Jorginho's trophy haul is impressive, his teams' triumphs cannot be chalked up to individual brilliance. That's why we believe he might not make the podium.
#4 Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah had a good outing in the 2020-21 season at individual level even though Liverpool struggled. The Merseysiders were dealt several injury blows which curtailed them from truly expressing themselves on the pitch. As a result, Liverpool went trophyless last season.
However, they seem capable of mounting a title challenge on all fronts this term and Salah has been crucial to their exploits so far. The Egyptian international is one of the most in-form players in the world right now.
Salah scored 31 goals and provided six assists in 51 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool last term. He has got off to a flying start to the new season. Salah has 16 goals and six assists to his name in 16 appearances across all competitions already in the 2021-22 season.
#3 Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema is yet another player who has clawed his way up the Ballon d'Or ladder in recent months. Benzema scored 30 goals and provided nine assists in 46 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid last term. All of that didn't amount to much on the silverware front as Los Blanco went trophyless.
But it did earn Benzema a long-awaited call-up to the French national team. It was the first time in six years that he was named in the France national side and he was their main striker at Euro 2020. Benzema repaid the faith Deschamps had placed in him by scoring four goals in four appearances.
The 33-year-old then scored crucial goals for France in the semi-finals and finals of the UEFA Nations League. He was one of Les Bleus' standout performers as they won the title. Benzema has hit the ground running in the 2021-22 season as well.
He has scored 14 goals and provided eight assists in 16 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid so far this campaign.
#2 Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski has been the most prolific goalscorer on the planet for a few seasons now. The Bayern Munich frontman broke Gerd Muller's record for most goals scored in a single Bundesliga season (40) by netting 41 in 29 appearances last term.
Lewandowski has been phenomenal for the Bavarians. He scored a total of 48 goals and provided nine assists in 40 appearances across all competitions last term. The 33-year-old also scored three goals in three games at Euro 2020 but Poland crashed out in the group stage.
Lewandowski is justified in feeling robbed off the Ballon d'Or last year as the award was canceled in the wake of Covid-19. He has made a strong case for himself this year as well. The Polish international has been in irrepressible form this term, scoring 24 goals in 18 appearances across all competitions already.
#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina/Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi was a one-man rescue act at Barcelona from the turn of the year until the end of the 2020-21 season. Messi was phenomenal in the first half of 2021. He single-handedly schlepped Barcelona back into the La Liga title race even though they made a mess of it in the closing stages of the season.
Messi picked up the Pichichi trophy for scoring the most goals in the 2020-21 La Liga season. He also won the Copa Del Rey with the Catalans. However, Messi's crowning achievement was winning the Copa America in the summer with Argentina.
Not only did he win the elusive trophy, but he was also named the Best Player at the tournament. He was the top scorer and top assist provider at Copa America 2021 with four goals and five assists in seven appearances.
Messi is slowly getting used to life at Paris Saint-Germain these days. But his exploits up until the summer ought to be enough to earn him a record seventh Ballon d'Or.
