5 legends who refused to pick one Ballon d'Or 2021 winner
The winner of the 2021 Ballon d'Or award is only hours away from being crowned in the French capital.
This year's 30-man shortlist comprises the usual suspects Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. There are also a few others like Jorginho, Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema, to name a few. Few of these contenders have emerged as strong contenders because of their exploits with club and country over the past year.
While many legends of the game have made their picks for this year's Ballon d'Or winner, a few others have not. On that note, here's a look at five legends who haven't picked a contender for the 2021 Ballon d'Or winner:
#5 Arsene Wenger (former Arsenal manager)
Arsene Wenger is one of the most storied managers in the history of the sport. He was in charge of Premier League club Arsenal for more than two decades. Wenger is the only manager in the competition's history to win the Premier League without losing a game (2003-04).
The Frenchman recently said there is no clear contender for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. He said:
"There is no untouchable this year. On individual performance, consistency, Benzema is at the top level. The uncertainty is: does the weight of the trophies play a decisive role?"
"Il n'y a pas d'intouchable cette année. Sur la performance individuelle, la constance, Benzema est au top niveau. L'incertitude c'est: est-ce que le poids des trophées joue un rôle décisif ?"
Wenger sur ce qui pourrait manquer à Benzema pour gagner le Ballon d'Or (@BarniaudSeb) https://t.co/wi3tQXIOrb
Arsene Wenger seemed to suggest that ones like Messi, Jorginho and Lewandowski are likely contenders to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or award. This is because they won major titles this year.
Benzema has had a standout year for club and country. But the absence of a major title this year means he's unlikely to win the prestigious award this year.
#4 Gus Poyet (former Premier League manager)
Former Uruguay international and Premier League manager Gus Poyet is another noted name who speculated that the 2021 Ballon d'Or race could be an open one.
He said that the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Mohamed Salah have had better years individually than the usual suspects Messi and Ronaldo. Poyet said in this regard:
"Certainly you cannot vote for Messi or Ronaldo in the Ballon d’Or, perhaps Mbappe or Salah, but the latter certainly is the best."
Cristiano Ronaldo ❓
Lionel Messi ❓
Robert Lewandowski ❓
Karim Benzema ❓
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Salah has indeed had a memorable year, especially in club football. He has been on a tear this season, scoring 17 times across competitions. However, the lack of a title this year could adversely impact his 2021 Ballon d'Or chances. The same also applies to Mbappe, who didn't win the Ligue 1 or Euro 2020 titles this year.