The 2021 Ballon d’Or award has a lot of strong contenders. Many players have shown remarkable consistency in the last year including some youngsters too. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are once again the strong contenders to win the award. The winner is chosen on the basis of a combination of votes from journalists, national team captains, and coaches. So, let’s look at the Ballon d’Or Power Rankings favorites for the month of August.
Jorginho
The Italian midfielder has been in flying form. He has played an important role in Italy’s 2020 Euro-winning campaign and was also a part of Chelsea’s unexpected 2020/21 Champions League triumph. Jorginho was one of five Italian players to make it into the Euro 2020 team of the tournament and was a vital part of Chelsea’s Champions League-winning squad. And with this, Jorginho has been one of the strong contenders to win Ballon D’or this year.
Jorginho on his Ballon d’Or chances (To Eurosport): “We all have dreams. But I’ll be honest, it depends on the criteria a decision is made based on. If we’re talking about talent then I know I’m not the best in the world. How could I compare myself to Messi, Neymar, or Cristiano Ronaldo? They’ve completely different characteristics to me. But, I repeat, it depends on the criteria.”
Cristiano Ronaldo
One of the greatest players to have played the game. The one who loves to take on opponents and create chances for other players. The 36-year-old was in great form in the Euro 2020. He scored 5 goals in just 4 matches and won the Golden Boot award for the top goal-scorer at the 2021 European Championships. He also won the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana but the defeats in Serie A and the Champions League could go against his Ballon D’or rankings.
Ronaldo won the Serie A Golden Boot this season. He ended the league campaign with 29 goals, winning the Capocannoniere award for the highest goalscorer. He became the first footballer to finish as a top scorer in the English, Spanish, and Italian leagues. Ronaldo scored 36 goals and provided four assists in 44 appearances across all competitions for Juventus. Going by his current form, Ronaldo is one of the top contenders for winning Ballon D’or.
Kante
Kante has produced some match-winning performances in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. He was named man of the match as he won his first UEFA Champions League. Chelsea defeated Manchester City 1–0 in the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final. He was also named Chelsea’s best player as they won the UEFA Champions League in the 2020-21 season.
One of the best mid-fielders currently, Kante has always been top-notch with his playmaking. France early exists from the world cup could hammer Kante’s Ballon d’Or chances. Kante will look to do some magic at the start of the premier league to make his chances more superior. But still, then, there is very little chance of Kante winning the Ballon D’or this year.
Robert Lewandowski
Easily, one of the best strikers in the world currently. He is well known for his goal-scoring ability, positioning, and finishing too. Overall, he is a complete package. Also, one of the most successful players in Bundesliga history. He was awarded the Best Men’s FIFA player 2020. He also scored three goals in three matches at Euro 2020.
Robert Lewandowski was in a flying form in the season 2020-21. He scored whopping 48 goals from 40 appearances across all competitions for Bayern Munich this season. Robert played a key role in Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga winning campaign. He also won his first European Golden Shoe award. And if Lewandowski starts the 2021-22 season with a bang then he’s the favorite to win the Ballon d’Or award.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is considered to be one of the greatest players to have played the game. He has scored 38 goals,14 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona this past season. The top goalscorer in La Liga, Messi was announced as the winner of the Pichichi trophy for a record eighth time in his career in the season 2020-21. It was also a record fifth consecutive win in La Liga.
The 34-year-old recently won his first international trophy with Argentina at the Copa Aerica 2021. He was the best player at Copa America, winning both the Golden Ball and the Best Player award. Messi scored four goals and provided five assists in seven appearances. Currently, Messi is the firm favorite to win the Ballon d’Or award for the 7th time in his career.