"I think it's between those" - Fabio Cannavaro names favorites to win 2021 Ballon d'Or

The winner of the 2021 Ballon d'Or award will be announced in less than two weeks from now, with the football world calmly anticipating. Former Real Madrid defender Fabio Canavarro has named three players he believes could come out on top in the race for the accolade.

The Italian, who won the award in 2006, believes there's no clear favorite for this year's Ballon d'Or. He is of the opinion that the trio of Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema have the best chance of winning it.

He was quoted as saying:

"Messi has won the Copa America and done very well, but Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski are candidates too. I don't see a clear favorite, but I think it's between those three," the former Real Madrid centre-back added.

Lionel Messi is reportedly leading the race for the Ballon d'Or in 2021. But there are many who believe Robert Lewandowski should win the accolade after missing out on it last year.

Fabio Cannavarro gave his verdict on the subject, saying:

"In 2020, Lewandowski would have been the clear winner. But now it could be won by anyone."

The winner of the 2021 Ballon d'Or will be announced at the Theatre du Chatelet, in Paris, France, on November 29. The 30-man shortlist for the accolade was released a couple of weeks ago and it features the finest footballers on the planet right now.

Will Lionel Messi win his seventh Ballon d'Or award this year?

Who are the top contenders for the Ballon d'Or 2021?

The race for the 2021 Ballon d'Or has proven to be one of the most intense ones we've witnessed in recent years. As it stands, Lionel Messi is the leading candidate to be named the best player in the world for the seventh time in his career.

The attacker made history by leading Argentina to a Copa America triumph this summer, finishing with the most goals, assists and being named the best player in the tournament. He also inspired Barcelona to claim the Copa del Rey last season, concluding the term with 38 goals and 14 assists across all competitions.

Robert Lewandowski also has a decent chance of winning the Ballon d'Or this year following his return of 48 goals and nine assists for Bayern Munich last season. Players like Karim Benzema, Jorginho, Cristiano Ronaldo, N'Golo Kante and Kevin De Bruyne also had incredible outings with their clubs and countries and will fancy their chances.