Peter Crouch names his 2 'standout candidates' for the Ballon d'Or award 

Former Liverpool forward Peter Crouch has named Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah as his two standout candidates for the 2022 Ballon d'Or.

Crouch believes this year's Ballon d'Or winner will depend on Liverpool's success this season. Jurgen Klopp's side are currently chasing an unprecedented quadruple.

Liverpool have already won the Carabao Cup and are currently in the semifinals of the Champions League. The Reds are also set to play in the FA Cup final against Chelsea later this month, while they trail Manchester City by a solitary point in the Premier League title race.

If Liverpool manage to secure another trophy or two, the winner of the prestigious individual award could be someone from their squad.

Speaking to Paddy Power (via Goal), Peter Crouch was quoted as saying the following:

"Mane's a great shout. He's won the Afcon already, and if he goes on to win the Champions League, the Premier League and if Liverpool completes the quadruple then it would almost certainly have to go to a Liverpool player, and then [Mohamed] Salah and Mane are your standouts for it."

Sadio Mane is having an excellent season for club and country. The 30-year-old forward has already guided Liverpool to a Carabao Cup triumph earlier this season. Mane is currently the Reds' third-highest goalscorer behind Mo Salah and Diogo Jota.

As things stand, the Senegalese forward has scored 20 goals in 45 appearances for Liverpool across all competitions.

Mane also played a vital role in helping Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) earlier this season. He has also guided his national side to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Mohamed Salah, meanwhile, is also having a fantastic season for Liverpool. The Egyptian superstar has scored 30 goals and provided 14 assists in 45 appearances this season.

It is worth mentioning that Liverpool haven't had a Ballon d'Or winner since Michael Owen won the "Golden Ball" back in 2001. However, Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk did finish runners-up to Lionel Messi in 2019.

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Karim Benzema can challenge the Liverpool duo for the Ballon d'Or

Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema is another prime candidate for the 2022 Ballon d'Or. The 34-year-old forward has been in sublime form as Los Blancos look to win a league and Champions League double.

Karim Benzema has scored 42 goals in 42 appearances for Real Madrid across all competitions. The Frenchman netted a goal against Espanyol at the weekend to clinch Los Blancos' 35th La Liga title.

Real Madrid still have to defeat Manchester City to secure a place in this season's Champions League final. Carlo Ancelotti's side are currently trailing the tie by 4-3.

However, the second leg is set to be played at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, May 4.

Other candidates for the 2022 Ballon d'Or are Kevin De Bruyne, Kylian Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski.