The 2022 edition of the Ballon d’Or will be awarded in the fall for the first time – on October 17 to be precise – meaning that it will take into account individual results throughout a full European season rather than the calendar year.
The 2021/22 season was filled with some fantastic surprises across all domestic fronts, but especially on the continental stage as comeback kings Real Madrid bulldozed through opponents en route an unprecedented 14th Champions League title. Of course, all their exploits were truly possible with the backing and support of some of the best players in the world, including Ballon d’Or favorite Karim Benzema, former winner Luka Modric and rising star Vinicius Junior.
Benzema currently has all the odds favoring him a first-ever win of the personal accolade, on the back of his otherworldly Champions League performances against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City in the knockout stages. The Lyon youth product’s heroics in the final-third saw Los Blancos climb back from near-death experiences on more than one occasion, with his 17-minute hattrick against PSG in the Round of 16 second leg stealing the show.
At 34, the Frenchman has established himself as the best in the world, as he played an irreplaceable role in Real Madrid winning a European double. If he can maintain these levels into the new season, then there will be no doubts of France potentially winning a second successive World Cup.
He enjoyed his most prolific professional season till date, racking up 44 goals in 46 matches – 12 more goals than his previous highest tally that he garnered in 2011/12. Despite his best season – even in La Liga with a goal tally of 27 – he managed to come only fourth in the 2021/22 European Golden Shoe, falling yet again to back-to-back winner Robert Lewandowski.
After yet another spectacular season in Bavaria, many are backing the former Borussia Dortmund man to grab the Ballon d’Or. Lewa missed out on the accolade during the pandemic, when the award was cancelled and he was arguably in the form of his life. Moreover, there have been cries over Lionel Messi’s ‘undeserved’ win last year, which many say should have been given to the Pole instead.
The Polish marksman has established himself as one of the greatest strikers in the history of the game with his exploits at Bayern Munich. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to replicate his stunning form for new club Barcelona.
The departure of Lewa allowed Bayern to sign yet another world-class forward in Ballon d’Or contender Sadio Mane. The Liverpool ace scored the winning penalty to seal his nation’s first-ever AFCON title against Egypt, before sending Senegal to the World Cup at the Pharoah’s expense in the play-off. He also played an instrumental part in Liverpool’s run to the Champions League final, and although the Reds lost, they registered the FA Cup and EFL Cup in their trophy cabinet.
His Anfield teammate Mohamed Salah enjoyed a brilliant start to the season, making himself known as the best player in the world in the first half of 2021/22. His form waded as the season wore on, but his unstoppable form should not be forgotten by Ballon d’Or judges. Salah scored an impressive 31 goals in 51 appearances for the Reds.
Another surprise contender in the run to this season’s ceremony is Benzema’s partner-in-crime Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian prodigy has quickly gone on to establish himself as one of the best wingers in the world with his terrifying pace, silky dribbling and presence of mind. However, it will take more than scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final better his fellow teammate to the award. Don’t be surprised to see him register a podium finish.
With the new season starting, bettors and bookmakers have their guard up in terms of what to expect in while compiling odds. But for now, all eyes are on the aforementioned contenders to see who will rack up the spice, mostly since the Ballon d’Or will be awarded mid-season i.e. in fall for the first time in history.
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The shortlist for the Ballon d’Or will be out by mid-August and it will be surprising to see any of the five mentioned players miss out on a nomination. Recent history shows that Champions League success often holds the key to registering a podium finish. When you combine that with domestic success, only one player worthy of the award comes to mind. There is not a player who comes close to Benzema’s level in terms of impact last season.
