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The Ballon d'Or ceremony returns this year with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo leading a list of top players who are expected to get nominations after a year of absence.
France Football have announced that the nominations will be revealed on the 8th of October 2021, while the official ceremony will take place on the 29th of November 2021 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.
The Ballon d'Or was canceled last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time since its inception in 1956 that the prestigious award was not given in a season. Many expected Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski to win it last season before France Football decided to cancel the annual award.
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are expected to be among the nominees for the 2021 Ballon d'Or. The pair have had a monopoly on the award for the past several years, winning 11 of the last 12 awards amongst themselves. The one exception being Luka Modric, who won it in 2018.
Lionel Messi has won the most Ballon d'Or awards with six, while Cristiano Ronaldo is not far behind, having won the prestigious "Golden Ball" on five separate occasions.
Do Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi have a chance to win the Ballon d'Or win 2021?
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are always up there amongst the favorites when it comes to the Ballon d'Or. However, things are quite different this time around.
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo's amazing goal-scoring season with Juventus and Portugal's national team, the 36-year-old forward did not manage to win a major piece of silverware apart from the Coppa Italia.
However, Lionel Messi is still regarded as one of the favorites for the 2021 Ballon d'Or due to winning the Copa America with Argentina.
Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have tough competition this time around, with Chelsea midfielder Jorginho touted by many as the overall favorite for the Ballon d'Or.
Jorginho had a stellar 2020-21 season for both club and country. The 29-year-old central midfielder played a vital role in guiding Chelsea to their Champions League triumph against Manchester City. Jorginho also played a key role in helping Italy lift the Euro 2020 title against England earlier this summer.
Other candidates who could win the Ballon d'Or this time around include the aforementioned Lewandowski and Jorginho's Chelsea teammate N'Golo Kante.
