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France Football may have scrapped the Ballon d'Or this year in favour of a Ballon d'Or Dream Team but the FIFA Best Player Awards are still likely to go ahead and will witness an interesting battle between the usual suspects and a few unlikely names.
The coronavirus pandemic has shifted the landscape of the game and with football in a period of transition, the awards are likely to see a few new recipients over the next few years.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have maintained a watertight duopoly over the award in recent years but their stranglehold is likely to be broken this year with several young players making their mark in Europe.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the FIFA Men's Best Player Award Power Rankings for the month of November.
#11 Kevin De Bruyne
Widely regarded as one of the most complete midfielders in the world at the moment, Kevin De Bruyne has had a relatively quiet month by his own high standards. The Belgian midfielder has slipped to 10th place in this month's rankings with Manchester City struggling to hit their peak in the Premier League.
At his best, Kevin De Bruyne is virtually unstoppable and is the beating heart of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City outfit. The former Chelsea man has shown glimpses of his extraordinary set of skills this season but will need to be more consistent to move up this list.
De Bruyne was brilliant for Manchester City at the start of the year and his versatility gave the Cityzens the shot in the arm that they needed towards the end of the season. Pep Guardiola relies heavily on Kevin De Bruyne to do the heavy lifting in Manchester City's midfield and will need the midfielder at his best this year.
#10 Thiago Alcantara
Thiago Alcantara keeps getting better with age. The Spanish midfielder enjoyed an excellent season with Bayern Munich last year and is now looking to set the Premier League alight with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.
Thiago was instrumental to Bayern Munich's incredible treble-winning campaign last season and his irresistible performances have made him one of the best midfielders in Europe.
The Spaniard is yet to make his mark at Liverpool but his unique talent and wealth of experience make him a prized possession at Anfield. Thiago Alcantara has had his fair share of injury concerns but is arguably the best playmaker in the world at his peak.
#9 Sadio Mane
Liverpool have one of the most dangerous front-lines in world football at the moment and Senegalese forward Sadio Mane often slips under the radar with his exquisite performances. The forward is a lethal force on the counter and rarely puts a foot wrong in the final third.
Liverpool's exceptional success in the Premier League has been characterised by a distinct philosophy under Jurgen Klopp. The German manager relies heavily on pace on the flanks and Sadio Mane's reliable performances have already made him a fan favourite at Anfield.
Sadio Mane often steps up to the plate on the big stage and was integral to Liverpool's Premier League title this season. The winger is irreplaceable in the Reds line-up and remains one of Liverpool's most effective players.
Also Read: Top 10 attacking trios in football history
#8 Virgil van Dijk
An unfortunate injury and an underwhelming season see Virgil van Dijk drop a few places in these rankings. The Dutch defender's importance to Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side, however, cannot be understated. Van Dijk has revamped Liverpool's back-line and has made the Reds a force to reckon with.
Virgil van Dijk was an impressive cog in Liverpool's groundbreaking campaign last season and has grown into a leader under Jurgen Klopp. The Dutchman is one of Liverpool's most important players and has established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League.
Liverpool have not enjoyed a particularly positive season so far and will have to deal with the absence of their star Dutchman. Van Dijk is an excellent leader and is set to become a fixture in Liverpool's defence for the next few years.
#7 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe has been one of the hottest prospects in world football for several years now. The World Cup winner has been sensational in Ligue 1 and nearly propelled Paris Saint-Germain to their first UEFA Champions League title last year.
Kylian Mbappe's statistics in the Ligue 1 have made him one of the most sought-after players in Europe. The French striker has been linked with a move to some of the biggest clubs in the continent as is set to become one of the most prolific players in Europe.
The French prodigy registered 18 goals in Ligue 1 last season and was impressive in Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League run. Kylian Mbappe's versatility and sheer potential see him earn a respectable position on this list.
#6 Neymar
Neymar's career has not particularly gone to plan at Paris Saint-Germain but the Brazilian superstar remains a unique asset at his best. The winger has adopted a more creative role at the French club and enjoyed one of his best seasons in Paris last year.
Paris Saint-Germain brought Neymar to the club with the sole intention of winning the UEFA Champions League and the former Barcelona star nearly made his club's dream come true with a series of exceptional performances.
Neymar is yet to fulfil his potential at Paris Saint-Germain and will not be content with his impressive list of Ligue 1 titles. The Brazilian will have to be at his best yet again this year if Paris Saint-Germain are to win the Champions League.
#5 Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is arguably Real Madrid's most important player at the moment. Under Zinedine Zidane, Ramos has emerged as an incredible leader at Real Madrid and enjoyed a good season at the club last year.
Real Madrid were embroiled in a tense battle with Barcelona for the La Liga title before the worldwide pandemic last season. After the resumption of La Liga, Zinedine Zidane's side embarked on an incredible unbeaten run to clinch the league title.
Sergio Ramos has been a Real Madrid player for well over a decade and has been one of the most consistent performers for Los Blancos. The Spanish veteran has established himself as a Real Madrid legend and will want to defend his La Liga title this season.
Also Read: La Liga 2019/20: Team of the season
#4 Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has been a supernatural presence for Barcelona for the better part of over 15 years but has been well below his best this year. The Argentine has adopted a creative role at the club and has become more of a midfielder in the recent past.
The Argentine talisman endured a trophyless and a controversial season at Barcelona last year but his impressive individual statistics have still earned him a commendable position on this list.
The Barcelona captain has not been at his best this season and has managed only one goal from open play in the past three months. The Catalan giants find themselves in a dismal 11th place in the La Liga table and need their inspirational superstar to return to his best.
#3 Mohamed Salah
Liverpool's commendable uptick in fortunes over the past few years has coincided with the emergence with the irrepressible Mohamed Salah. Under Jurgen Klopp, the Egyptian winger has set the Premier League alight and is well on his way to becoming a Liverpool legend.
Mohamed Salah scored 19 goals in the Premier League last season and led from the front as Liverpool stormed their way to a first Premier League title in over three decades. The former Chelsea forward is a deadly presence on the pitch and has been prolific over the past few years.
Salah has also risen to the occasion this season and will be intent on proving himself as a long-term investment for the Merseyside giants. The Egyptian star has been exceptional in the Premier League and will want to build on his progress this year.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo's unique ability to find the back of the net has worked wonders for Juventus in the Serie A. The Portuguese superstar seems to be getting more clinical with age in the final third and has been impressive this season under Andrea Pirlo.
The former Real Madrid talisman has been scoring goals for fun in Italy and bagged an astonishing 31 goals in the 2019-20 season. Cristiano Ronaldo has already managed eight league goals this season and will want to propel the Bianconeri to yet another league title.
Juventus have blown hot and cold in the Champions League for over a decade and the Portuguese talisman will be looking to write his name in Bianoneri legend with a successful European campaign this season.
#1 Robert Lewandowski
Robert Lewandowski will arguably have felt the most hard done by after France Football decided to scrap the Ballon d'Or this year. The Polish striker was incredible for Bayern Munich last season and looked set to break the stranglehold that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have maintained on football's most prized individual award.
The Bayern Munich hitman scored an astonishing 34 goals in 31 games in the Bundesliga last season and was virtually unplayable in the final third. Robert Lewandowski's golden touch has also resulted in 11 goals in only seven games in the Bundesliga this season.
Bayern Munich won an unprecedented treble earlier this year after a string of exceptional performances saw the Bavarians coast to the Champions League title. Robert Lewandowski is one of the best strikers in the world at the moment and is the favourite to win FIFA's Best Player award.
Also Read: UEFA Champions League 2019/20: Team of the season
