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The 2021 Ballon d'Or winner will be announced tonight in a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris. It has been an exciting year all around for football fans as we have been blessed with a stream of relentless football action from start to finish.
As opposed to previous years, there are no outright favourites this term. There are quite a few contenders who have all staked a claim on this year's Ballon d'Or. Will Lionel Messi win a record seventh Ballon d'Or or will Robert Lewandowski finally get his hands on football's most prestigious individual prize?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are well into their 30s now. As a result, their powers are evidently starting to wane and it looks like they are unlikely to be frontrunners in the race for the Ballon d'Or in the coming years.
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So without further ado, let's try and predict the Ballon d'Or winners for the next five years.
2022 Ballon d'Or winner - Robert Lewandowski
2022 is going to be yet another year of Robert Lewandowski domination. He has already scored 25 goals and provided two assists in 20 appearances across all competitions in the 2021-22 season.
The Bayern Munich striker has nine goals to his name in five Champions League appearances this term. The Bavarians are also looking strong and it could be another season rich in silverware for them.
Lewandowski is going to end up scoring more than 50 goals this term and that kind of talent and ability will need to be recognized on the grandest stage. It will be a well deserved Ballon d'Or for the Polish international.
2023 Ballon d'Or winner - Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah is playing the best football of his career right now and he even seems to be getting better with each passing game. After all the 2022 FIFA World Cup noise dies down, Salah will kick on with his club career in grand fashion.
The Egyptian international will be up to no good and will still be committed to breaking ankles, destroying careers and winning foot races down the right wing. Salah will win the European Golden Shoe and if he is still playing for Liverpool, he'll be guiding Klopp's men to yet another triumphant run in the Premier League.
Salah will finally get the Ballon d'Or that he deserves for the sheer individual brilliance that has set him apart in recent seasons.
2024 Ballon d'Or winner - Kylian Mbappe
By 2024, Kylian Mbappe might have secured a dream switch and settled down properly at Real Madrid. The team is likely to be built around him and he will run riot in La Liga just like a certain Cristiano Ronaldo did in the last decade.
Mbappe will be around 25 and entering his peak years. He will be scoring for fun but the Frenchman will have Erling Haaland hot on his trails. But between the two, Mbappe is likely to be the first to get his hands around the Ballon d'Or trophy.
It will be the first year of the emergence of what is likely to be a duopoly similar to the Lionel Messi - Cristiano Ronaldo one.
2025 Ballon d'Or winner - Erling Haaland
2025 will be the year when Erling Haaland strikes back. The Norwegian striker will have earned his big move and hit his stride at one of Europe's top clubs. The incredibly athletic marksman will be breaking goalscoring records and being the difference maker for his side.
While his international career might not be nearly as fulfilling as his club career, Haaland will still be doing his country proud. He will pick up the European Golden Shoe along the way. However, it won't all be straightforward for Haaland as he will face tight competition from Kylian Mbappe.
Mohamed Salah will also be giving chase but he is likely to find the pair's prolific goalscoring rate hard to match. The 2025 Ballon d'Or race might go down to the wire but Haaland will come out on top.
2026 Ballon d'Or winner - Vinicius Jr.
Vinicius Jr. has proved beyond reasonable doubt this season that he is a serious footballer. The Brazilian international has been in scintillating form for Real Madrid and has already scored some worldies this season.
He has been tearing it up in La Liga and has been a nightmare to go up against for defenders thanks to his blistering pace and trickery. Vinicius Jr. will guide Brazil to World Cup glory in 2026. He will be the best player at the tournament and will have deservedly taken up the mantle from Neymar Jr. by then.
Vinicius Jr. will already be a club legend at Real Madrid by 2026 and Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland will be caught off-guard by his rise to the very top.
