Ballon d'Or Power Rankings: July 2021

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and N'Golo Kante
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and N'Golo Kante

#7 Erling Haaland - Norway/Borussia Dortmund

RB Leipzig v Borussia Dortmund - DFB Cup Final 2021
RB Leipzig v Borussia Dortmund - DFB Cup Final 2021

Erling Haaland is yet another player to register incredible individual numbers in the 2020-21 season without being big on the trophy haul. The Borussia Dortmund striker has had time off during the summer as Norway failed to qualify for Euro 2020.

He has won the DFB Pokal this year. Haaland is the most sought after striker in the world right now and he just turned 21. He can only go from strength to strength and has his entire career ahead of him.

Haaland finished the 2020-21 season with 41 goals and provided 12 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for Borussia Dortmund.

#6 Harry Kane - England/Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley - Premier League
Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley - Premier League

It was quite baffling to many that Harry Kane was not picked as the Premier League Player of the Season despite leading the goalscoring and assist charts. The English striker had a pretty good outing at Euro 2020 as well, scoring four goals in seven appearances.

He is still waiting for his first piece of silverware but a run to the final of Euro 2020 is a credible achievement. Kane scored 33 goals and provided 17 assists for Tottenham Hotspur in the 2020-21 season.

The 27-year-old is undoubtedly one of the best strikers in the business and he could very well leave Spurs next summer the way things are going.

#5 Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal/Juventus

Belgium v Portugal - UEFA Euro 2020: Round of 16
Belgium v Portugal - UEFA Euro 2020: Round of 16

Cristiano Ronaldo could have been higher up the pitch if he had won a major trophy with Juventus. He won the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana but the Bianconeri had forgettable outings in Serie A and the Champions League.

Ronaldo won the Serie A Golden Boot, having scored 29 goals in 33 appearances. Ronaldo scored 36 goals and provided four assists in 44 appearances across all competitions for the Bianconeri. He also won the Euro 2020 Golden Boot with five goals to his name despite Portugal crashing out in the Round of 16.

#4 N'Golo Kante - France/Chelsea

France v Switzerland - UEFA Euro 2020: Round of 16
France v Switzerland - UEFA Euro 2020: Round of 16

N'Golo Kante was Chelsea's best player as they won the UEFA Champions League in the 2020-21 season. The tenacious French midfielder was at his imperious best and bossed midfield battles in Europe's elite club competition.

Kante was also one of the first names on France's teamsheet at Euro 2020. However, the French were dispatched in the Round of 16. They suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Switzerland and none of the French players did anything worth writing home about.

Kante could still finish on the podium with a strong start to the new season. But he is unlikely to win the Ballon d'Or this year.

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Edited by Shambhu Ajith
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