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The Ballon d'Or is awarded by "France Football" every year to the best footballer of the year. Several legends of the game have won this prestigious accolade in the past but two of the greatest players ever, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, have maintained their duopoly on the award over the past decade.
With Cristiano Ronaldo winning the award this year, it takes their tally to 5 apiece. Back in 2012, Lionel Messi was on top of the world and had won 4 consecutive Ballon d'Ors. Fast forward 5 years and Cristiano has somehow miraculously managed to turn the tide having won 4 times in the past 5 years and one cannot bet against the duo for being there on the podium next year as well and again there after.
But with both players in their 30s, one can expect age to catch up, and there are several young players who will have the chance to claim the award pretty soon. Here we take a look at five youngsters who can challenge for Ballon d'Or in the near future:
#5 Gabriel Jesus
Gabriel Jesus is the rising star of Brazilian football and and has drawn praise from Brazilian legends Ronaldo and Zico for his play and work ethic. The young striker plied his trade with Palmeiras in his home nation scoring 21 goals in 41 appearances in 2016 and helped them to their first league title in 22 years.
His performances certainly caught the eye of several bigwigs across Europe and Manchester City won the race for his signature after splashing out €32 million for his services, which now seems to be a bargain considering how inflated the transfer market is. He is an extremely talented forward, possessing a great technique and dribbling ability, and irrefutably is a lethal finisher highlighted by his 15 goal return in 24 Premier League games this year.
He has now become a regular starter for Brazil and already has 8 international goals in 13 appearances. At just 20 years of age, he will only improve and under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, he can surely be the best player in the world.
#4 Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford is a highly rated forward whose performances have earned him rave reviews from fans and critics alike. The young striker who was handed his senior team debut by then United manager Louis Van Gaal has only gone from strength to strength.
He marked his meteoric rise from youth academy to senior team with a brace for United on his debut in Europa League, thus becoming United's youngest goal scorer in Europe, and scored two again a just a couple of days later in his Premier League debut.
The 20 year old has been a regular under Jose Mourinho and already has 8 goals and 4 assists in 23 appearances to his name this season. He is an excellent dribbler, has a great burst of pace and a powerful shot and his play reminds of Thierry Henry. He was also offered a contract to play for the blue side of Manchester but he decided to stay put and United fans can't thank him enough.
The versatile forward also has 15 international appearances to his name and is outrageously talented for a 20 year old, and if he can continue to do what he has been doing, he will surely be an asset for both England and United for many years to come and can also lay hands on the biggest individual prize in the process.
#3 Marco Asensio
Marco Asensio is an exciting young talent who has become the mainstay of Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid over the past 18 months since his sensational breakthrough season. The young forward was instrumental in Real Madrid winning the double of La Liga and Champions League last season with some breathtaking performances. In his 38 appearances last term, he found the back of the net 10 times but was praised by pundits for his excellent technique and great game awareness.
The young superstar has hit the ground running this term as well and has already scored 7 goals in 21 games to go with his 2 assists. His biggest asset is his versatility and he can lead the line, or play as a wide forward or as an attacking midfielder. He is strong on the ball and possesses a great vision, passing and crossing ability and has an ostentatious long shot.
The young forward who has been earmarked for greatness since his early days was scouted by both Barcelona and Real Madrid before he chose to move to the capital club and his performances in the whites of Madrid have been just spectacular. If he can continue to put in the hard yards and realise his massive potential, he can be a great boon for Real Madrid as well as world football and certainly win the coveted Ballon d'Or title.
#2 Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Dembele's meteoric rise from Rennes B to Barcelona has been well documented, but his performances for the clubs he has played for have been spectacular. Dembele was promoted from the Rennes' youth setup to the senior team in the summer of 2015 and instantly caught the eye of several big clubs across Europe. He produced an excellent return of 12 goals and 5 assists in 29 games he played for the Ligue 1 side in that season.
His performances helped him seal a move to Dortmund and was an instant success for Thomas Tuchel's side. In his sole season at Dortmund, he scored 10 and created 20 in 49 appearances while he also completed the highest number of take-ons in Bundesliga - 105, before Barcelona decided to splash €105 million for the 20 year old.
He is delightful with the ball at his feet and can dribble past defenders with relative ease. His passing and finsihing are top notch, has a great burst of pace. He can play exceedingly well with both feet and on either flank or even as an attacking midfielder. At just 20 years of age, he has all the traits to be world class and can learn a great deal from Messi himself to lead Barcelona's attack for years to come.
#1 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is the most prodigious talent in world football and has lived up to all the hype that has surrounded him since his early days. Mbappe first burst onto scene with his performances for French Under 19 side where he scored 5 goals helping his side win the UEFA European U19 Championships. He soon became a mainstay of the Monaco side, where he forged a deadly combination with Radamel Falcao, and scored 26 goals in 44 appearances in his breakthrough season for the club.
His superlative performances helped Monaco win the first league title in 17 years and also led them to the semi-finals of the Champions League. His impressive performances made PSG outstretch their financial muscle and sign him for whopping €180 million following a season-long loan deal.
The young superstar has already scored 11 and made 7 in his 22 appearances for the club this season. He is a sumptuous dribbler, has quick feet and likes to take defenders on but can even power past them with strength and explosive pace. He is a lethal finisher and can play as a center forward or on the right wing.
He is just 18 years of age and finished 7th in the Ballon d'Or rankings this year. With his style of play likely to draw several voters, it certainly makes him a potential laureate down the road.
