The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious individual recognition in football despite the controversy and criticism it generates.
After the award was not handed out in 2020 by France football due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was Lionel Messi who won it last year for his seventh overall – the most by any player in history.
Unfortunately for the PSG star, he isn’t in the running this year given his inconsistent campaign by his standards, so it’s guaranteed that we’ll have a new guy who’ll take the trophy home.
Many believe that Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema is favoured by the Ballon d’Or 2022 odds to win it given everything that he’s achieved this season, although several other standouts have made strong cases as well.
As we wait for the official Ballon d’Or 2022 results, take a look first at our power rankings for the said award here at SBOTOP.
No. 5: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Kylian Mbappe may be known more for his transfer saga lately which eventually saw him stay at PSG for at least three more years, but we shouldn’t overlook what he has done for the Parisiens this term.
In 2021/22, the 23-year-old posted gaudy numbers of 48 goals and 31 assists in all competitions, and he led his club to win Ligue 1 and his national side France to win the UEFA Nations League.
There are two main reasons why he’s not higher on this list despite his immense talent.
One is because he’s playing alongside other world-class forwards in Neymar and Lionel Messi, which dulls his shine for a little bit. And second is because they were booted out earlier than expected in the Champions League – a trophy that has eluded them these past few years.
Can Mbappe win the Ballon d’Or soon by staying longer at Ligue 1? Of course he can, but he will need to raise his game in the Champions League next season and maybe lead France to win another World Cup in Qatar this November.
No. 4: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski is another top striker who has also done superb for his club this year.
One can argue that he should’ve won it in 2020 and even in 2021, and he continues to make a strong case this season with a whopping output of 56 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.
Lewa also helped Bayern Munich win their 10th straight Bundesliga, as well as the DFL-Supercup.
Unfortunately for Bayern Munich, Lewandowski wants out of the club since he’s looking for a new challenge and Barcelona are in pole position to get his signature.
With a move away from Germany inevitable, Bayern Munich are hopeful to find a suitable replacement for the Pole soon.
No. 3: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Speaking of replacements, Sadio Mane looks to be the ideal candidate for Bayern Munich as he’s set to join them next season for a fee of £35-M from Liverpool.
In his last campaign with the Reds, Mane had 29 goals and five assists in all competitions while winning the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and AFCON for his home country Senegal.
Sadio Mane, along with his Liverpool teammate that we’ll mention next, are bidding to become the first African winner of the Ballon d’Or since George Weah in 1995.
No. 2: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah’s case would’ve been stronger if he won both the Champions League and the AFCON, but he still got a decent trophy haul with an FA Cup and a Carabao Cup.
Individual-wise, Salah was named PFA Player of the Year for the second time ever since he finished as joint top Premier League scorer alongside Tottenham’s Heung-Min Son with 23 goals. Overall, the Egyptian hitman plundered 33 goals and 19 assists in all competitions.
With Mane leaving Liverpool this summer, Salah will have a bigger responsibility of leading the Reds anew. The good news for him, though, is that the club has done their part in providing him help with the additions of Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz and he’ll have Diogo Jota too for another season.
No. 1: Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
The Real Madrid striker has been a model of consistency all throughout this term with countless top-level performances and big moments.
His numbers and trophy haul speak for itself since he had 47 goals and 15 assists in all competitions, and he also won the Champions League, UEFA Nations League, and Supercopa de Espana.
Was there ever any doubt that Benzema leads atop of the list? Of course not, and this year’s award is his to lose.
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