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The 2021 Ballon d'Or award winner will be announced when the award's ceremony is held in Paris on December 5. Former Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o has named Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema among the players who deserve to have claimed the accolade over the last few years.
"Obviously he [Karim Benzema] is not getting the football recognition he deserves. But that happens often in football," the Cameroonian opined.
"As far as I'm concerned, he is one of the players who has deserved to win a Ballon d'Or for years. But there have always been many such players - Raul, Paolo Maldini, Roberto Carlos... who never won the prize," he added.
Karim Benzema will certainly be listed among the nominees for the Ballon d'Or award this year following his impressive performances for club and country. The Frenchman enjoyed a prolific outing with Real Madrid last season, bagging 30 goals and nine assists across all competitions.
He also impressed with France at the European Championship this summer, with four goals to his name. Of course the Real Madrid forward would love to win the Ballon d'Or in his career, as he revealed just a few weeks ago.
"[Winning the Ballon d'Or] does not make me lose any sleep, although it is a dream for every player. What I want is to help the team. Every player wants to win it [the Ballon d'Or] and so do I," the striker added.
Who are the main contenders for the Ballon d'Or award this year?
We are already approaching that period of the year when footballers get recognition for their brilliant exploits. With the Ballon d'Or gala just a couple of months away, everyone is eager to know who will be crowned the best player in the world.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Lionel Messi is considered favorite to claim the accolade after leading Argentina to a Copa America triumph this summer. The attacker will certainly face intense competition from Chelsea midfielder Jorginho, who also had a spectacular year with club and country.
Next to the duo stands another Chelsea midfielder, N'Golo Kante. Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo are also in contention for this year's Ballon d'Or
Who is your pick for the 2021 Ballon d'Or
Also Check Out: Ballon d'Or 2021 Winners
