Ballon d'Or 2021: Market value of players ranked in top 10

After tremendous speculation and rumors, Lionel Messi indeed won the 2021 Ballon d'Or.

He was awarded his record-extending seventh Golden Ball on Monday, narrowly edging out Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski.

Jorginho finished third despite winning the biggest prizes with club and country, while Messi's great rival Cristiano Ronaldo finished outside the top three for the first time since 2010.

The final rankings of the top 30 nominations were released in three sets of 10 each.

Here's a look at the market values of each player who finished inside the top 10 rankings for Ballon d'Or 2021: (All market values obtained from Transfermarkt).

#10 Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy) - €65 million

The 22-year-old won the Euro 2020 with Italy

Gianluigi Donnarumma has been consistently impressive for club and country for many years but this was the first time he broke into the Ballon d'Or's top 10 rankings.

🇮🇹 Gianluigi Donnarumma wins 2021 Lev Yashin award for best goalkeeper 🧤

#tropheeyachine | #ballondor | #UCL https://t.co/CY3yxCttbw

It's a testement to his ever-increasing stock, finishing the 2020-21 Serie A season with the joint-most clean sheets (14) and then playing an integral role in Italy's Euro 2020 triumph.

However, he did win the Lev Yashin award for the best goalkeeper of the year.

#9 Kylian Mbappe (PSG/France) - €160 million

Mbappe has contributed 69 goals for club and country in 2021 so far (scored 45, assisted 24)

The most valuable player on the list (and in world football) could only secure a ninth-place finish at the Ballon d'Or this year. But he's had a far from disappointing year individually.

Sure, the PSG starlet was a damp squib at Euro 2020, but he redeemed himself by guiding France to the UEFA Nations League title later in the year, and has a goal-contribution of 69 for club and country.

#8 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City/Belgium) - €100 million

De Bruyne's 2021/22 season has been riddled with injuries

Premier League's greatest playmaking wizard of the modern era, Kevin De Bruyne has struggled to hit the throttle in the 2021-22 season. However, he was in a league of his own in the first half of the calendar year.

9th place in the #BallonDor ranking for @KMbappe ! https://t.co/oY9s0ranm5

He was at the heart of Manchester City's league title success, their fourth in the last five years, and powered them to their first-ever Champions League final in May.