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The Ballon d'Or is arguably one of the most prestigious individual awards in sport at the moment. The annual prize is presented by a French magazine and has been awarded to some of the best players in footballing history.
The 2021 edition of the Ballon d'Or ceremony will play host to some of the biggest names in world football. The likes of Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo will attend the ceremony and hope to come away with the prize.
The Ballon d'Or ceremony did not take place in 2020 as a direct result of complications arising from the pandemic at the time. In 2019, Lionel Messi won his sixth Ballon d'Or after some stellar individual achievements with Barcelona.
Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski in the race to win Ballon d'Or 2021
This year's edition of the Ballon d'Or features the usual suspects, with Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski the frontrunners to win the award. According to reports from France, Lionel Messi is leading the race for the prize at the moment and could win his seventh Ballon d'Or this week.
The Argentine captain ended his international trophy drought this year with a historic Copa America triumph. Messi scored four goals and five assists in the competition and his overall impact for both club and country holds him in good stead ahead of the ceremony.
The PSG forward does face some serious competition for the prize, particularly from Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker has been incredibly prolific in the Bundesliga this year and will likely give Lionel Messi a run for his money at the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Karim Benzema and Jorginho are also in with a chance to win the Ballon d'Or but will need a big slice of luck to go their way. Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo could feature in the top five but are unlikely to win the award this year.
Where is the Ballon d'Or 2021 ceremony taking place?
The Ballon d'Or 2021 ceremony is being hosted at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
When will the Ballon d'Or 2021 ceremony take place?
India: 30th November 2021, at 1 AM
USA: 29th November 2021, at 2:30 PM (Eastern Standard Time), 1:30 PM (Central Standard Time), 11:30 AM (Pacific Standard Time)
UK: 29th November 2021, at 7:30 PM
