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The Ballon d'Or award for 2021 is set to be announced at the end of the month. This year has seen some interesting candidates come into the shortlist, while some regular faces are also present.
With such a mixed range of players present, the race for the Ballon d'Or is surely an interesting one this year. Among the Ballon d'Or nominees, some have been incredible this season.
Some of the Ballon d'Or nominees are yet to win the Champions League
Winning the UEFA Champions League is a dream come true for a footballer. While some of the great players have been lucky to win it more than once, others are yet to win it. The 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or comprises of some new names and, understandably, they are yet to win the Champions League.
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While the players have done well individually to earn themselves a spot on the Ballon d'Or nominee list, their hunger for a Champions League medal still goes on. On that note, let's take a look at the top five Ballon d'Or nominees yet to win the great European tournament.
Honorable mention: Bruno Fernandes and Romelu Lukaku
#5 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
The Englishman might be struggling right now but there is no denying his capabilities as a striker. Harry Kane was strongly linked with joining Manchester City last summer but with Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy unwilling to let him go, the 28-year-old is still at the club.
The sole reason behind Kane's desire to leave Spurs was to win silverware. After all these years, the striker does deserve to win some silverware, especially considering his prolific goal-scoring record. That being said, both Kane and Manchester City are yet to win the UEFA Champions League.
The Ballon d'Or nominee reached the Champions League finals with Tottenham Hotspur in the 2018-19 season. Spurs went on to lose the match 2-0 against Liverpool despite some impressive performances in the tournament. Kane had done very well that season, scoring five goals and recording an assist in the Champions League.
#4 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
The Italian centre-back is one of the most experienced players among the Ballon d'Or nominees this year. With his smart and sharp defending, he's one of the most reliable figures at the back.
Giorgio Chiellini played a vital role in helping Italy win the Euro 2020 this year and has been a rock for Juventus for more than 17 seasons now. The 37-year old is going strong with age and is still a very valuable asset in defense.
During his stellar career, the Italian defender has reached the UEFA Champions League finals twice with Juventus, once in 2015 and the second time in 2017. In the first final, Barcelona emerged as 3-1 winners while in the second final, Real Madrid emerged as 4-1 winners.
#3 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
The Ballon d'Or nominee list has some youngsters on it and Erling Haaland is surely one of the best of them. The Norwegian forward has been nothing short of sensational since bursting onto the scene.
Signed from RB Salzburg, Haaland has been phenomenal for Borussia Dortmund, scoring goals from left, right and center. The young Ballon d'Or nominee's tall and strong physique gives him a great advantage over his opponents.
During the 2019-20 season, Haaland became the first teenager to score in five consecutive UEFA Champions League matches.
Last season, he scored nine goals and recorded four assists in six Champions League matches, finishing as the top-scorer in the tournament. The young striker might not have yet won the UEFA Champions League with any club but given his performances, it is surely not that far away.
Haaland's best run in the European tournament came with Borussia Dortmund. The Bundesliga club reached the quarter-finals of the 2020-21 season, but were knocked out by Manchester City.
#2 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
If there's a player on the Ballon d'Or nominee list who desperately deserves to win the UEFA Champions League, it has to be Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian has done outstandingly well with Manchester City over the years, having won everything but the Champions League.
It is not the first time Kevin De Bruyne has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or but what's painful is that this year he came closest to winning the Champions League. Manchester City reached the finals of the European tournament to meet Chelsea in Porto. Unfortunately, the Blues won the final with a narrow 1-0 scoreline.
Following a challenge from Antonio Rudiger around the hour mark, De Bruyne had to be taken off. Despite not winning it last season, the Belgian still has the chance to win the UEFA Champions League under Pep Guardiola and strongly challenge for the Ballon d'Or thereafter.
#1 Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
There is no limit to the talent of the 22-year old Ballon d'Or nominee. With his blistering pace, amazing dribbling and superb goal-scoring abilities, Kylian Mbappe is a threat almost every single time he runs with the ball.
After impressing with Monaco, the young Frenchman attracted interest from a number of top European clubs but ended up joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). With the French giants, Mbappe has been a regular starter and has presented some fine performances over the last three seasons.
The Frenchman came close to winning the UEFA Champions League finals in the 2019-20 season but failed to do so as they were defeated 1-0 by Bayern Munich. Kylian Mbappe has a long career ahead of himself and with his talents, he is likely to win the competition sooner rather than later.
