Ballon d'Or 2022: Ranking the top 5 favorites - January 2022
The Ballon d'Or is easily the most prestigious individual prize in football. The 2021 Ballon d'Or ceremony was held on November 29 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.
Will the 2022 Ballon d'Or race be as tight as last year's?
The 2021 Ballon d'Or race was blown wide open in the second half of the year. There were several standout performers for both club and country and picking a winner was always going to be an arduous task.
But winning the Copa America in the summer and being named the Best Player of the Tournament was enough to propel Lionel Messi to a record seventh Ballon d'Or.
Will the legendary Argentinian be able to replicate his heroics in 2022? Or will Robert Lewandowski finally get his due? Or are we going to witness the emergence of a new star?
It's too early in the year to take stock of medals and pin statistics on a board to try to figure out who the eventual winner is going to be. But based on recent record and form, let's make some predictions.
Let's take a look at five of the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or in 2022.
#5 Lionel Messi (Argentina/Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi hasn't been at his best in the 2021-22 season so far. He has shone in the UEFA Champions League so far, scoring five goals in five games. But he has scored just a single goal in 11 appearances in Ligue 1 since joining PSG in the summer.
Messi's quality will eventually shine through and he is expected to have a great second half to the season. But will he be able to power Argentina through the 2022 FIFA World Cup? We're not very convinced at this point but the thing with Messi is that he just cannot be written off.
PSG are well on course to win the Ligue 1 title this term. If they can add the Champions League title to their kitty as well, Messi will have a credible trophy haul. But his individual numbers will need to be better than what they are right now.
This is how good Messi's season with PSG has been so far. 🐐
https://t.co/NrsYOybgro
#4 Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe has been in sublime form of late. He has been one of the best performers across all of Europe's top five leagues. The Frenchman has been the main man for PSG in a season where Neymar Jr. and Lionel Messi have not been at their best.
The 23-year-old has scored 18 goals and provided 15 assists in 25 appearances across all competitions for PSG this term. If Mbappe can keep those levels up over the course of 2022, he will be a top contender for the Ballon d'Or.
He will also be a very important player for France at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Les Bleus are tipped to retain their title and if that's the case, then Mbappe will have a strong case in the race for the Ballon d'Or.
201 career goals at 23 years old. @KMbappe is incredible 👑 https://t.co/HXfTPRBC0Z