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The Ballon d'Or is easily the most prestigious individual prize in football. The 2021 Ballon d'Or ceremony was held on November 29 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Will the 2022 Ballon d'Or race be as tight as last year's?
The 2021 Ballon d'Or race was blown wide open in the second half of the year. There were several standout performers for both club and country and picking a winner was always going to be an arduous task.
But winning the Copa America in the summer and being named the Best Player of the Tournament was enough to propel Lionel Messi to a record seventh Ballon d'Or.
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Will the legendary Argentinian be able to replicate his heroics in 2022? Or will Robert Lewandowski finally get his due? Or are we going to witness the emergence of a new star?
It's too early in the year to take stock of medals and pin statistics on a board to try to figure out who the eventual winner is going to be. But based on recent record and form, let's make some predictions.
Let's take a look at five of the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or in 2022.
#5 Lionel Messi (Argentina/Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi hasn't been at his best in the 2021-22 season so far. He has shone in the UEFA Champions League so far, scoring five goals in five games. But he has scored just a single goal in 11 appearances in Ligue 1 since joining PSG in the summer.
Messi's quality will eventually shine through and he is expected to have a great second half to the season. But will he be able to power Argentina through the 2022 FIFA World Cup? We're not very convinced at this point but the thing with Messi is that he just cannot be written off.
PSG are well on course to win the Ligue 1 title this term. If they can add the Champions League title to their kitty as well, Messi will have a credible trophy haul. But his individual numbers will need to be better than what they are right now.
#4 Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe has been in sublime form of late. He has been one of the best performers across all of Europe's top five leagues. The Frenchman has been the main man for PSG in a season where Neymar Jr. and Lionel Messi have not been at their best.
The 23-year-old has scored 18 goals and provided 15 assists in 25 appearances across all competitions for PSG this term. If Mbappe can keep those levels up over the course of 2022, he will be a top contender for the Ballon d'Or.
He will also be a very important player for France at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Les Bleus are tipped to retain their title and if that's the case, then Mbappe will have a strong case in the race for the Ballon d'Or.
#3 Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah has been one of the best players in Europe in the ongoing season. The Egyptian international has been in great touch and everything he touches seems to turn into gold. Salah's form has been crucial to Liverpool's promising start to the 2021-22 campaign.
The 29-year-old is now set to leave on international duty to take part in the 2021 AFCON. Salah has been in the form of his life and he could very well propel Egypt to continental glory in the early stages of 2022.
If he can pull it off, then Salah's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or will be boosted massively. He has scored 23 goals and provided nine assists in 26 appearances for the Merseysiders so far. If he can kick on in the same fashion, Salah is likely to end up with incredible numbers.
#2 Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich)
Robert Lewandowski is justified in feeling robbed off the Ballon d'Or in 2020 when the award was canceled in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. A large section of football fans believe Lewandowski should have pipped Messi to the Ballon d'Or in 2021.
The Bayern Munich striker is the most prolific striker in Europe's top five leagues. He has been in sublime form in the ongoing season as well and has been scoring goals for fun.
Bayern Munich have also been in sensational form this term and if Lewandowski can win a few trophies, he'll once again be a top contender for the Ballon d'Or. He has scored 30 goals and provided three assists and we're only halfway through the 2021-22 season. The sky is the limit for Lewandowski.
#1 Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema is one of the greatest strikers of the modern era. He is one of the most well-rounded attackers in the game right now and Benzema has shown no signs of slowing down despite turning 34.
The Frenchman was in great form for club and country in 2021. He has been Real Madrid's main man in the ongoing season, having contributed 20 goals and provided eight assists in just 24 appearances across all competitions.
If Benzema can keep this up for the rest of the 2021-22 season, this might just be the best campaign of his career. Benzema will also be raring to shine at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and on current form, he is one of the best players in the world.
France are also one of the favorites to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup. If Real Madrid can win La Liga and Benzema has a good run at the World Cup, it'll be hard to stop him in the 2022 Ballon d'Or race.
