Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski are among the nominees on the 30-man 2021 Ballon d’Or longlist to have been released by France Football.
No player has won as many Ballon d’Or trophies as Messi.
so could the legendary Argentine claim the prestigious award for a seventh time?
Messi has had better years, but has still managed to score 37 goals and notch 14 assists in 46 games for club and country.
He might have had a slow-ish start to life at PSG, but those are still incredible numbers!
The likes of Euro 2020 winner Jorginho and his Chelsea team-mate N’Golo Kante also have their sights set on a shock win.
Who is in contention for the 2021 Ballon d’Or?
A list was leaked which revealed the 30 names, 20 of which have been confirmed by FranceFootball thus far.
Leaked list
Cesar Azpilicueta
Phil Foden
Jorginho
Robert Lewandowski
Romelu Lukaku
Kylian Mbappe
Gerard Moreno
Mohamed Salah
Luis Suarez
Cristiano Ronaldo
Confirmed
Nicolo Barella
Karim Benzema
Leonardo Bonucci
Giorgio Chiellini
Kevin De Bruyne
Ruben Dias
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Harry Kane
Simon Kjaer
Bruno Fernandes
Erling Haaland
N’Golo Kante
Neymar
Riyad Mahrez
Lautaro Martinez
Lionel Messi
Luka Modric
Mason Mount
Pedri
Raheem Sterling
Now that a 30-man list of top performers from the last 12 months has been compiled, the voting process can begin.
A selection of international journalists, national team coaches and captains,
will be polled to determine the winner, with each voter being asked to pick out their top five.
Once that process has been completed.
The prestigious prize will be handed out at a glitzy ceremony in Paris on November 29.
France Football also released 20 nominees for the women’s award.
With superstars like Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder, and Vivianne Miedema making the list.
Read Also: Friday’s Transfer Gossip: Lampard, Ramsey, Bruce, Asensio, Sterling, Dembele, McKennie, Winks, Icardi
Full list:
Alexia Putellas
Magdalena Eriksson
Marie-Antoinette Katoto
Sam Kerr
Stina Blackstenius
Wendie Renard
Samantha Mewis
Pernille Harder
Vivianne Miedema
Sandra Panos
Lieke Martens
Jessie Fleming
Irene Paredes
Ashley Lawrence
Christine Sinclair
Ellen White
Christiane Endler
Jennifer Hermoso
Fran Kirby
Kadidiatou Diani
Other awards
France Football announced 10-man shortlists for two further awards:
The Kopa Trophy, given to the best performing player under the age of 21, and the Yashin Trophy, given to the best goalkeeper.
Kopa Trophy shortlist:
Mason Greenwood, Bukayo Saka, Pedri, Jeremy Doku, Ryan Gravenberch, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Jude Bellingham, Giovanni Reyna, Nuno Mendes
Yashin Trophy shortlist:
GianluigiDonnarumma, Ederson, Kasper Schmeichel, Edouard Mendy, Keylor Navas, Emiliano Martínez, Manuel Neuer, Jan Oblak, Samir Handanovic
