'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgj/2gAIAQEAAAAAnk5//8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP/aAAgBAhAAAAB//8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAgBAxAAAAB//8QAHxAAAQMEAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEDBAAFERMSIVFy/9oACAEBAAE/ALK3BSyPjIAzlSt4AfAV1a2xMcfSlha79r//xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEf/aAAgBAgEBPwCP/8QAFREBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH/2gAIAQMBAT8Ar//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The football season is coming to an end. Footballesr are competing on the field to finish the season on a high. Every performance is scrutinized and assessed in great detail, as we reach halfway through to the biggest individual sporting prize in the planet - the Ballon d'Or.
Hello and welcome to our assessment of the top contenders for the 2019 Ballon d'Or at the start of May 2019. Today we bring you the top ten players in the world at this moment and it might surprise you that at least 6 of the final 10 from the 2018 Ballon d'Or are missing from this list right now. But who makes the cut and who is left out? Read on to find out more
Trending
#10 Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Bayern Munich)
As the season draws to a close, Lewandowski's stellar performance so far warrants a place among the top 10 contenders for the Ballon d'Or 2019. The Bayern Striker had finished 9th in the 2017 Ballon d'Or, gathering a total of 45 votes. Last year, the Poland International was not a part of the final 30 shortlist, so this season, he had a point to prove.
Lewandowski has been in exceptional form for Bayern this season. He has been one of the reasons why the Bundesliga giants have been able to wrestle back the top position in the league from Borussia. Bayern are currently on 71 points, 2 points ahead of Dortmund in second after 31 games played. Lewandowski is the top scorer in the league with 21 goals from 30 appearances.
The Polish International has scored a total of 37 goals from 43 games in all competitions at the start of May. He has also registered 7 assists so far. Lewandowski's massive impact in this Bayern team cannot be ignored, as he has averaged 4.5 shots per game in the Bundesliga and 3.3 shots per game in the UEFA Champions League. Even though Bayern have long exited the UEFA Champions League, only Lionel Messi has scored more than Lewandowski's 8 goals in the competition.
At the start of May, Robert Lewandowski is 10th among the top contenders for the 2019 Ballon d'Or.
#9 Jadon Sancho (England, Borussia Dortmund)
The phenomenal English youngster is have a breakthrough season in the Bundesliga, and has caught the attention of football fans all over the world. He already looks destined for greatness and as such, makes his way among the top ten contenders for the 2019 Ballon d'Or awards at the start of May.
Sancho started the season in blistering form, helping his team to a 15 match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga. Borussia rode his fantastic performances to go to the top of the table. Even though Bayern eventually took over the top spot, Lucien Favre's side impressed everyone with their overall play. The pick of the lot, though, has been Jadon Sancho.
The Englishman has so far scored 12 goals from 40 games in all competitions. He has also registered a total of 15 assists this season, which shows what a phenomenal impact he has had. No wonder every big club in Europe is closely monitoring his situation and there could be a bidding war involving Sancho in the summer.
The Bundesliga No. 7 is a tricky footballer, who is blessed with speed and dribbling abilities. Sancho has averaged 3.2 dribbles per game this season in the Bundesliga and he has just turned 19 in March!
#8 Eden Hazard (Belgium, Chelsea)
The Belgian has been on the fringes of the award for quite a few seasons now, but has never broken into the top three. He finished in the 19th position in 2017, with 16 votes, while last year, he finished 8th with 119 votes. This time too, the Belgian finds himself among the contenders by virtue of a fine season so far with Chelsea.
Much was spoken before the start of the season about how Sarri's tactics could render the diminutive Belgian ineffective. However, Hazard seems to have squashed all those talks and has enjoyed quite a fruitful season so far. He has scored 19 goals and registered 13 assists from 46 games so far. Only once in his career has he scored more goals in a season - in his final breakthrough season with Lille.
As such, it is hard to deny that Hazard is in the form of his life and it is only fitting that Real Madrid might swoop in for him in the summer. Interestingly, the Belgian is averaging 3.6 dribbles per game in the Premier League and 4.4 dribbles per game in the UEFA Europa League.
#7 Fabio Quagliarella (Italy, Sampdoria)
It is hard not to mention the veteran striker among the best players in the world this season. Fabio Quagliarella has never been a part of the 30 man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or, but such has been his impact for Sampdoria this season that he has left the phenomenal Cristiano Ronaldo far behind in the race to the Serie A Golden Boot!
The Italian Striker has already scored 23 goals from 33 games in the Serie A this season. Quagliarella is a fantastic finisher and has a wise old head on his shoulders. His decision making and positioning has been superb this season and as such, the Italian finds himself, deservedly, among the top contenders for the 2019 Ballon d'Or.
Quagliarella might be at the flag end of his career - he is, after all, 36 years old now - but on the field, he looks as lively as ever. He has been the pick of the strikers in the Serie A and has outperformed the likes of Immobile, Piatek, and Dries Mertens on the field. The Italian has also managed 8 assists in the Serie A.
#6 Raheem Sterling (England, Manchester City)
The Englishman has been one of the players of the season in the Premier League and his scintillating form has ensured that Manchester City are within inches of successfully defending their Premier League crown. Sterling has kicked onto a higher gear since a stellar showing in the World Cup last summer and has added a goal scoring edge to his game.
Sterling has never been among the final 30 shortlist for the Ballon d'Or, but people tend to forget that he is only 24 years old right now. This season, following his brilliant form, the Englishman has already been voted as both the Football Writer's Association Player of the Year as well as the Professional Footballer's Association Young Player of the Year. As such, it is only fair that Sterling is among the top ten contenders for the 2019 Ballon d'Or at the start of May.
The Englishman has scored 23 goals from 45 games in all competitions for Manchester City this season and has picked up a further 12 assists too.
#5 Sergio Aguero (Argentina, Manchester City)
The Argentinean striker is fast turning into a Premier League legend and his goal scoring form has been exceptional this season again. Aguero has helped Manchester City fend off Liverpool's continued attempts at muscling away the top spot in the Premier League. The Argentinean has also been sniffing at a second Golden Boot of his career this season and could even have his hands on the coveted award by the end of the season.
Aguero has never been a part of the 30 man shortlist of the Ballon d'Or, but might finally get his chance this season. The Argentinean has already scored 29 goals from 43 games in all competitions for Manchester City this season and has also registered 9 assists so far. He has been crucial to his club's brilliant run of form this season - City have already won the League cup, are in the FA Cup finals and have a good chance of defending their League title.
The Argentinean's presence in the box this season has been second to none, he currently is one of the best strikers in the world right now. Aguero has average 4.3 shots per game in the Champions League and 3.6 shots per game in the Premier League and at the start of May, is 5th among the top contenders for the award.
#4 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Juventus)
When Critiano Ronaldo joined Juventus, it was clear that he would be a part of history. True to the expectations, the Portuguese took Italy by storm, lit up the Serie A and helped Juventus to another Serie A title, their 8th in succession. Ronaldo received rave reviews for becoming the first player to win the Premier League, the La Liga and the Serie A during his career. And a Ballon d'Or contender list without him is unimaginable right now.
Since 2011, the Portuguese has never finished outside the top three in the Ballon d'Or final rankings. But this year might see that record being broken. Apart from winning the Serie A, Ronaldo has also won the Supercoppa Italiana with Juventus. However, he has failed to replicate his Champions League form with his new club even though he did give them a taste of his abilities by destroying Atletico Madrid in the round of 16. Juventus were knocked out of the Quarter finals by a youthful Ajax side.
Ronaldo has scored 26 goals from 39 games for Juventus in all competitions this season. He has also accumulated 10 assists so far. However, he has lost ground in the Serie A Golden Boot and European Golden Shoe race due to injuries and lack of form and as such, is 4th among the top contenders for the Ballond d'Or at the start of May.
#3 Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands, Liverpool)
It is not fair to present one man as the main reason for Liverpool's epic turnaround in the last season and a half, but in case of Virgil van Dijk, it is a accolade that is well deserved. The Dutchman has been revolutionary for the Merseyside club since joining, but has taken his game to a higher level this season. Liverpool have used the defensive base provided by the monumental defender to attack without fear and have transformed into one of the best teams in Europe.
van Dijk has been the rock at the back as Liverpool has stretched Manchester City to the wire in the race for the Premier League crown. Liverpool have conceded just 20 goals in the 36 games in the League and van Dijk has rightly been judged as the PFA Player of the season this year. Even though he was taken apart by the brilliance of Lionel Messi in the Champions League, van Dijk is still one of the best players in the world. And he will be central to any hopes of Liverpool finishing this season with a trophy.
The Dutchman has never been a part of the 30 man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or, but his impact this season has been path-breaking. As such, Virgil van Dijk is third among the top contenders for the award at the start of May.
#2 Kylian Mbappe (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
The sensational youngster is tipped to take over the mantle from Messi and Ronaldo in the near future. He first appeared in the Ballon d'Or rankings in 2017, where he finished 7th with 48 votes. Mbappe saw his stocks rise after a brilliant FIFA World Cup last year, and finished 4th with 347 votes in the 2018 Ballon d'Or. This season, he has gone from strength to strength with each passing game and at the start of May, is second among the top contenders for the award.
The Frenchman has scored 36 goals and registered 12 assists from 41 games in all competitions for his club so far. He is all set to win his first Ligue 1 Golden Boot and has already won the Ligue 1 with PSG this season. He was also challenging for the European Golden Shoe, however a straight red in the French Cup might have killed his chances.
Even though he has a lot of scope for improvement, there's no doubt that Mbappe is one of the best young talents in the world right now. Perhaps a lengthier run in the Champions League would have bolstered his chances at winning the Ballon d'Or this season.
#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)
The 5 time Ballon d'Or winner finished 5th in the Ballon d'Or rankings last year. He received just 280 votes, an unimaginable result. It was the first time since 2007 that Messi had finished outside the top three. The whole world was astonished with the declaration, but the 5th best player in the world responded in the only way known to him - on the field.
Messi was handed the armband at the start of the season and since then, has looked every bit a captain that Barcelona needed this season. He has inspired his team, he has led from the front and he has pulled them out of tight spots on a regular basis. He has mesmerized on the field and defied description at times. And all the while, he has made a mockery of the people who adjudged him to be the 5th best player in the world last year.
The Argentinean has scored 48 goals from 46 games in all competitions for Barcelona and has also registered 15 assists. He has helped Barcelona to the La Liga title and has also lifted them to the Copa Del Rey finals. And in the Champions league, he has been in inspiring form, scoring 12 goals from 9 games already and giving them a brilliant advantage going into the second leg of the semi finals against Liverpool.
Messi also looks set to win a record 6th La Liga Golden Boot and is currently the front runner for the European Golden Boot this season. As such, it is divine justice that Lionel Messi is the top contender for the Ballon d'Or 2019 at the start of May 2019.
