Ballon d'Or 2021: Market value of players ranked in top 10

#3 Jorginho (Chelsea/Italy) - €45 million

Jorginho did the rare double of Champions League and Euros this year

Jorginho enjoyed arguably the best year of his career, winning both the Champions League and Euro 2020 in the same season, a feat matched only by a select few players in history.

He was at the heart of both successes, delivering top performances in midfield to later win the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award.

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#2 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/Poland) - €60 million

Was Lewandowski robbed of the Ballon d'Or?

Nothing could possibly justify Robert Lewandowski's snub. He was cruelly denied the Ballon d'Or in 2020 after it was inexplicably scrapped. Despite having another fine year, the Pole missed out on the prize again.

He's the leading goalscorer of the 2021 calendar year with 62 goals for club and country, lifted two titles, won the Bundesliga Golden Boot, and broke countless records along the way.

What more could he possibly have done?

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#1 Lionel Messi (PSG/Argentina) - €80 million

The world's best for the seventh time

Lionel Messi extended his Ballon d'Or record after winning it for the seventh time, although the margin between him and Lewandowski was really close.

It was a memorable year for the PSG ace, who finally got the monkey off his back by lifting his first international trophy, the 2021 Copa America, where he was also the top-scorer and the top assist-maker.

He couldn't guide Barcelona to a La Liga title in his final season at the club, but he led them to the Copa Del Rey and finished the 2020-21 La Liga season as the most prolific with 30 goals.