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The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual prize in football. The award is presented by French news magazine France Football to the best performing footballer in a calendar year. Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record seven times.
Ballon d'Or winner is chosen by a combination of votes
The winner of the Ballon d'Or is chosen by a combination of votes from media representatives, national team captains and coaches. Unlike in recent years where there have been just one or two sure-shot candidates, this year's Ballon d'Or race has been blown wide open.
There are several top contenders this year and there's no predicting which way this one is going to go. Without further ado, let's take a look at the Ballon d'Or Power Rankings for the month of April 2022.
#10 Bernardo Silva (Portugal/Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva has been the unsung hero of Manchester City's 2021-22 season. After being reduced to a peripheral figure in the 2020-21 campaign, Silva has now established himself as a vital cog in Pep Guardiola's system.
The Portuguese international is a tenacious presence at the center of the pitch. Not only is he a great ball progressor with his silky feet and accurate passing, but he is also a tireless worker who hounds opponents and wins the ball back for his side.
Silva has done a very solid job for Manchester City this season. He has scored 13 goals and provided five assists in 45 appearances across all competitions for Pep Guardiola's side so far this season.
If he can win the Premier League title and the Champions League with City, he will greatly boost his chances in the Ballon d'Or race.
#9 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Manchester United)
It's amazing that at the age of 37, it's his sheer individual brilliance that has earned Cristiano Ronaldo a place on this list. Things have been incredibly hard for him at Manchester United, playing alongside several underperforming players. However, Ronaldo seems determined to play his role as well as he can.
Ronaldo has already scored two Premier League hat-tricks this season and produced multiple rescue acts for Manchester United in the Champions League. But he couldn't inspire them further than the Round of 16 and a lack of major titles will severely hamper his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or.
In 37 appearances across all competitions for Manchester United so far this term, Ronaldo has scored 23 goals and provided three assists.
#8 Trent Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool)
Trent Alexander-Arnold is Liverpool's creator-in-chief. The England right-back is currently one of the best passers in the game and is arguably the best full-back in the game right now. He has done a pretty solid job defensively as well this season and has had yet another fantastic campaign.
Alexander-Arnold has scored two goals and provided a whopping 18 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool so far this season. He has been one of Jurgen Klopp's most important players this term.
Liverpool are in with a chance of winning the continental treble. If they can pick up more trophies, Alexander-Arnold could very well end up on the Ballon d'Or podium.
#7 Vinicius Jr. (Brazil/Real Madrid)
Vinicius Jr. is arguably the most improved attacker in Europe's top five leagues this season. The Brazilian international has been a force to be reckoned with down the left wing for Real Madrid. He very recently scored a sumptuous solo goal against Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie.
Vinicius Jr. has struck up a wonderful strike partnership with the in-form Karim Benzema. He is well on course to win the La Liga title with Real Madrid this season and can be proud about having played a crucial role in that.
Vinicius has scored 18 goals and provided 18 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos so far this season.
#6 Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne has shown his class once again this season. He has been in sublime form for the Cityzens over the past couple of seasons and has turned in some sensational performances. He has more or less cemented his status as the greatest midfielder in the world right now.
The Belgium international has scored four goals and provided four assists in seven appearances across all competitions for Manchester City in April. He seems determined to take Manchester City to yet another Premier League title with Liverpool breathing down their neck.
In 40 appearances across all competitions for Manchester City so far this term, the 30-year-old has scored 15 goals and provided 12 assists.
#5 Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe has been outstanding for Paris Saint-Germain in the 2021-22 season. His teammates have failed to hit the same heights and that's largely why they failed to progress beyond the Champions League Round of 16.
Mbappe's exploits helped PSG secure yet another Ligue 1 title this month. The PSG faithful are desperate for the 23-year-old to extend his stay at the club beyond this summer.
Mbappe has scored 33 goals and provided 22 assists in 42 appearances across all competitions for PSG so far this season. He also won the UEFA Nations League with France towards the end of last year.
#4 Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool)
What a season Sadio Mane is having! The Senegalese international was written off after the first half of the season as he had gone really quiet at Liverpool over the past couple of seasons. However, he has bounced back in glorious fashion.
Mane won the AFCON 2021 with Senegal and then guided his side to World Cup qualification as well. He has also been thriving in his new centre-forward role and has been scoring quite a lot of goals. In eight appearances across all competition for Liverpool in April, Mane has scored six goals and provided one assist.
The 30-year-old has already won the Carabao Cup with Liverpool. The Merseysiders are in with a very good chance of winning the continental treble as well. If he can pick up more silverware, Mane is going to become the frontrunner in the Ballon d'Or race.
In 44 appearances across all competitions for Jurgen Klopp's side so far this season, he has scored 20 goals and provided three assists.
#3 Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski continues to be the most prolific goalscorer across Europe's top five leagues. He has been phenomenal once again for the Bavarians. However, getting eliminated from the Champions League quarter-finals against Villarreal would have dented his chances in the Ballon d'Or race.
He has scored 48 goals and provided six assists in 43 appearances across all competitions so far this season for Bayern Munich. Bayern Munich have secured their 10th consecutive Bundesliga title as well. But whether that will be enough to help the 33-year-old get his maiden Ballon d'Or remains to be seen.
#2 Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
After having a rather quiet March, it looks like Mohamed Salah has resumed normal services. The Egyptian international has been one of the standout performers of the 2021-22 season all across Europe. Salah has made some crucial contributions to Liverpool in the month of April.
He has already won the Carabao Cup with the Merseysiders this term. They are also going inch for inch with Manchester City in the Premier League title race. Liverpool have made it to the final of the FA Cup and have one foot in the final of the Champions League after beating Villrreal 2-0 in the first leg of the semi-finals.
Salah has scored 30 goals and provided 14 assists in 44 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool so far this season. He's definitely one of the top contenders for this year's Ballon d'Or.
#1 Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema has been having the season of his life so far at Real Madrid at an individual level. The Frenchman scored a hat-trick each in the second leg of the Round of 16 and the first leg of the quarter-finals of the Champions League against PSG and Chelsea respectively.
He has followed that up with a brilliant brace in the first leg of Real Madrid's semi-final tie against Manchester City, which they lost 4-3. In seven appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos in April, Benzema has scored nine goals.
He has scored 41 goals and provided 13 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions so far this season for Real Madrid. Benzema is widely viewed as the early favorite to win the 2022 Ballon d'Or.
