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The Ballon d'Or, hosted by France Football, returned in 2021 after a sabbatical last year due to the pandemic as fans worldwide tuned in for the ceremony. While Lionel Messi ended up winning the Ballon d'Or for a seventh time, there were 29 others named alongside him in the shortlist.
The 30-man shortlist features some of the best footballers from across the globe plying their trade in some of the most difficult leagues. The Ballon d'Or truly honors performances across all positions as the best players in all positions have found themselves on the prized 30-man shortlist.
Ballon d'Or 30 men shortlist 2022 - who can miss out?
While many among these 30 men have started 2021-22 from where they left off, a few have had disappointing starts to their respective campaigns.
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Few have not been good enough, while others have been struck down with unfortunate injuries and bad patches of form. As such, they might face major hurdles in their pursuit of securing a place on next year's Ballon d'Or shortlist. Without further delay, let's take a look at five such players who may not be among the nominees next year:
#5 Romelu Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku had a thrilling 2020-21 season with Italian side Inter, where the club won Serie A. Lukaku scored 24 goals in the league to lead Inter from the front, largely due to his partnership with Lautaro Martinez. It followed with Lukaku making the dream return to Stamford Bridge with Chelsea in a club-record deal.
Lukaku started well in the blue jersey and scored in the London derby to start his Chelsea goal tally. However, the Belgian's scoring dried up, and he, unfortunately, injured himself to make matters even more difficult.
He returned to action against Manchester United as a substitute but was unable to secure a win for his side as the game finished 1-1. Make no mistake, there is still plenty of time for Lukaku to rekindle his form. However, it remains unlikely that he will have enough goals in him to be in the running for the Ballon d'Or next year.
#4 Riyad Mahrez
Riyad Mahrez has been a superstar ever since he showcased his world-class ability in the title-winning campaign for Leicester. Since then, the Algerian has switched to Manchester City and has been a stunning player for Pep Guardiola's side. His superb form for the blue side in Manchester is the primary reason he finds himself on the 2021 Ballon d'Or shortlist.
Manchester City have a problem with the over-accumulation of world-class players, and Mahrez seems to have become a casualty of that. He has made only two starts in the Premier League so far despite being an excellent performer last term.
So far, he has been stellar in the Champions League. However, with relatively lesser matches and tougher opponents, it remains to be seen if he can hit the levels required to be in the running for the Ballon d'Or.
His exploits at the Africa Cup of Nations can revive his chances of being in the race for the Ballon d'Or. But at the moment, things look a bit bleak for Mahrez to make next year's Ballon d'Or 30-man shortlist.
#3 Gerard Moreno
Gerard Moreno gets a well-deserved place among the 2021 Ballon d'Or 30-man shortlist based on his stellar performances for Spanish club Villareal. He was in superb-scoring form for the 'Yellow Submarines' and scored an all-important goal in the Europa League final as well.
Moreno's superb showing for his club earned him a spot in the Spanish national side in the Euros.
With hopes of retaining his place on the Ballon d'Or shortlist, Moreno started his 2021-22 season with purpose but fell prey to an injury. The injury has been heavily disruptive for Villareal, who have dearly missed their main goal scorer.
With half the season almost over, Villareal will hope for a swift return to action for Moreno. Once he returns, Moreno will want to make up for the missed time to make himself a strong candidate for next year's Ballon d'Or shortlist. But as things stand, it looks like a tall order.
#2 Cesar Azpilicueta
Cesar Azpilicueta is arguably one of the best bargains in the world of football. Acquired from Marseille, Azpilicueta has been one of the most consistent players in Chelsea's history and is a great footballer and a terrific leader on the field.
It came as no surprise to anyone when Azpilicueta became one of five footballers from Chelsea to make it to the final 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or in 2021. He led the team remarkably and consistently performed for Chelsea in a campaign that began terribly but ended with Champions League glory.
While there is no denying the ability and quality Azpilicueta possesses, it seems like age has finally started to show its effects on the Spanish defender. Despite making the final 30 Ballon d'Or shortlist, Azpilicueta has not been a regular at Chelsea this term.
Azpilicueta will still likely play an important role for the Blues in their current campaign. However, it may not materialize into another appearance on next year's Ballon d'Or shortlist like this time.
#1 Simon Kjaer
Simon Kjaer's inclusion into the 30-man shortlist for the 2021 Ballon d'Or is a testament that some things on the football pitch are bigger than the game itself.
During the European Championship match between Finland and Denmark, Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch. As a true leader, Kjaer ensured that Eriksen's airways remained unobstructed and covered Eriksen while he received treatment on the ground.
It was Kjaer who provided comfort and consoled Eriksen's wife, Sabrina. Kjaer also led Denmark brilliantly as the team reached the semi-finals of the Euros before being knocked out.
It surprised a few when Kjaer was voted 18th on the Ballon d'Or shortlist, but it is understandable why he received such overwhelming support.
While Kjaer may be a solid option at the back for Milan, it's a bit too far-fetched to suggest that he will be able to retain his spot on next year's Ballon d'Or shortlist.
