Salah, Foden and the top candidates for the 2022 Ballon d'Or award

Stefan Bienkowski

• 30 Nov 2021 18:30 GMT
• 5 min read

Lionel Messi was once again named as the best player in football on Monday evening when the Paris Saint-Germain forward was named the 2021 Ballon d’Or winner by France football.

The Argentina international has now won his seventh individual accolade and is certainly showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

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But is Messi still the very best player in the world and is he still the favourite to win the individual prize next year? Here is a list of the main contenders for the 2022 Balon d’Or award.

Robert Lewandowski

While Robert Lewandowski may have been the undoubted best goal scorer in European football last year, the Polish striker most likely missed out on the Ballon d’Or because of Bayern Munich’s failure to win the Champions League.

If the German giants can claim another European title this season, Lewandowski would undoubtedly be back in the running for the Ballon d’Or due to the fact that his goalscoring is showing no signs of slowing down in domestic or European competition.

Erling Haaland

Another Bundesliga star that could be in the running for the prestigious award is none other than Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.

The German club have already been knocked out of the Champions League and Haaland is unlikely to do too much with his nation, but if he can help guide Dortmund to the Bundesliga title alongside a potential Europa League title, the towering striker will undoubtedly be in the running for the individual award.

Mohamed Salah

When it comes to the Premier League, no player is performing anywhere near the level of Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.

So far this season the Egypt international has bagged 17 goals and seven assists in just 18 games in all competitions and if Jurgen Klopp’s side are able to win the Premier League or Champions League this season, there’s little doubt that Salah will be at the heart of that effort.

Phil Foden

Manchester City are undoubtedly one of the strong favourites for both the Premier League and Champions League and within Pep Guardiola’s side are a number of outstanding players.

However, rather than defender Ruben Dias or super sub Gabriel Jesus leading the team in both competitions, it has in fact been Phil Foden who has made the important contributions with five goals and four assists already this season and will undoubtedly garner much of the praise if City can win any major silverware.

Karim Benzema

With both Cristiano Ronaldo and now Lionel Messi no longer plying their trade in Spanish football, La Liga has been in need of a new super star and that’s exactly where Karim Benzema has happily filled in.

The France international has already picked up a remarkable 16 goals and eight assists in 18 games for the capital side and if Madrid can go the distance in Europe alongside another league title, few would be able to deny Benzema’s credentials for the Ballon d’Or.

Kylian Mbappe

Like Lewandowski, it will be extremely hard for Kylian Mbappe to win the Ballon d’Or off the back of his performances in Ligue 1 alone, but there’s nothing stopping the French striker from helping his team win this season’s Champions League.

Already considered by many to be the heir to Messi and Ronaldo’s shared crown, Mbappe could easily sway the Ballon d’Or voters if he were to light up the Champions League and finally win Paris Saint-Germain its first European Cup.

Lionel Messi

As is well documented, Messi is always in for a shout with the Ballon d’Or, even if he wasn’t always the best player in the world in any given year.

Of course, the Argentine forward may have to pick up his form at PSG between now and May if he is to be seriously considered, but like Mbappe, there’s no real reason why Messi can’t turn things on in the latter stages of the Champions League and once again dazzle European football.

Romelu Lukaku

While Chelsea are certainly more a collection of good players rather than a star-studded side like Madrid, PSG or Manchester City, there’s no denying that they have a number of players that could yet make a push for the Ballon d’Or.

While it may seem unlikely at the moment due to his injury concerns, Romelu Lukaku could end up having an exceptionally strong second half of the season for Thomas Tuchel’s side and if he ends up being the man to spearhead the Stamford Bridge side to a Premier League and Champions League double, few would be able to compete with him for Ballon d’Or votes.