'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The last time a Premier League player won the Ballon d'Or award was in 2008. It was Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo who won the prestigious award for the very first time in his career.
Since then, no Premier League player has managed to win the Ballon d'Or. The closest someone from the league came to winning it was Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk in 2019. Unfortunately, the Dutchman was beaten to it by the great Lionel Messi, who won with a slim margin of just seven points.
Premier League could have a Ballon d'Or winner this year
With the 2021 Ballon d'Or nominees out, there are some very strong candidates from the Premier League who can give a competitive fight for the honor. That being said, it is not going to be easy given the competition from elsewhere.
It has been more than ten years since a Premier League player won it and this year could be the end of it. On that note, let's take a look at five of the best players from the Premier League to be included on the shortlist for the Ballon d'Or this year:
Note: All players have been ranked based on a combination of their performances last season and the ongoing campaign.
#5 N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)
How can one not love a player like N'Golo Kante? The Frenchman is a delightful player to watch and an even better person off the pitch.
The former Leicester midfielder was impressive last season as he won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea. He also went on to win the UEFA Super Cup with the Blues. With his stunning work-rate, intense pressing and amazing ball-winning abilities, Kante was absolutely phenomenal last season.
His performance for France at Euro 2020 was also attractive, as has always been the case. Kante has been a key player at both club and national level. His superb display in the Champions League final against Manchester City was a deciding factor in the outcome of the game. The Premier League midfielder is certainly a strong presence in the race for the Ballon d'Or this year.
#4 Jorginho (Chelsea)
The Italian won it all last season. With his incisive passing, smart positioning and superb vision, Jorginho is a very reliable player to have in midfield. He used all these capabilities to help Chelsea win the UEFA Champions League last season. To stake his claim further, Jorginho also lifted Euro 2020 with Italy.
Jorginho does look like an underrated player on the list to win the Ballon d'Or but he sure makes a strong case. Many people back him to win the award and it will be interesting to see if he can become the first Chelsea player to win the Ballon d'Or.
#3 Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
The Premier League candidate list for the Ballon d'Or is incomplete without Bruno Fernandes' name in it. The Portuguese maestro has been a game-changer for Manchester United ever since he signed for them in 2020.
With his tenacity, superb passing and amazing creative abilities, Fernandes has been a difficult player to handle in the Premier League. Last season, the former Sporting Lisbon midfielder had a terrific time in the league as he went on to score 18 goals and assist in 12 other goals.
Even this season, he has started with a bang, scoring four goals and recording an assist. This included a stunning hat-trick against Leeds United in the opening game of the season. Fernandes has often been a Messiah for Manchester United and it is only just that he gets a shout to have a go for the Ballon d'Or award.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
The Premier League has been blessed with the return of Cristiano Ronaldo this summer. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is without a doubt a strong contender for the award this year.
Contrary to what many say, Ronaldo had a good spell with Juventus, having scored 81 goals in 98 appearances for the Old Lady in Serie A. Last season, the Portuguese attacker managed to score 29 goals in 33 appearances in the Italian league. In what was a struggling Juventus side, this is indeed a commendable achievement.
The former Real Madrid forward also had a great Euro 2020 this summer. He scored five goals in the tournament, winning the Golden Boot award. Ronaldo has consistently led the Portugal national side by setting an example and at this tournament, it was no different.
Ronaldo was the last Premier League player to have won the Ballon d'Or award. It will only be poetic for the Manchester United forward to win it again, winning the prestigious award for the sixth time.
#1 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The Liverpool man is very much in the news for his superb performance against Manchester City in the Premier League. Mohamed Salah has been an amazing addition to Jurgen Klopp's team.
The Egyptian attacker has been a stellar goalscorer for the Merseyside club despite primarily playing as a winger. Salah likes to drift inside from the right wing and with his dribbling and creative abilities, he is very successful in contributing goals.
Last season, he scored 22 goals and registered five assists in the Premier League. To date, he has made 152 appearances for the Reds and contributed to 137 goals. Even this season, Salah has started amazingly well, scoring six goals and notching up three assists in just seven appearances. Undoubtedly, he is the best Premier League player on the 2021 Ballon d'Or shortlist as things stand.
