Ballon d'Or Power Rankings: August 2021
The Ballon d'Or is inarguably the greatest individual prize a footballer can hope to receive. It is awarded by French News magazine France Football to honour the best performing footballer in the world.
The Ballon d'Or is chosen on the basis of a voting system
The Ballon d'Or is decided on the basis of a combination of votes from journalists, national team captains and coaches. The award was cancelled in 2020 in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic but is now all set to return this year.
We've had more than a year of nearly non-stop footballing action following the Covid-19 break. So much has happened in such a short span. Football fans are used to seeing Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominating the Ballon d'Or race over the past decade and a half.
But the way things have panned out over the past year or so, there is no predicting who is going to win the Ballon d'Or this time around.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the Ballon d'Or Power Rankings for the month of August 2021.
#10 Kylian Mbappe - France/Paris Saint-Germain
Kylian Mbappe registered some incredible numbers in the 2020-21 season. The Frenchman scored 42 goals and provided 11 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain last term. He won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot for the third consecutive year as well, scoring 27 goals in 31 appearances in the league.
However, a string of colourless displays at Euro 2020 has seen his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or grow even slimmer. He mustered just a single assist in four appearances at Euro 2020 as France crashed out in the Round of 16.
Mbappe could yet boost his Ballon d'Or chances if France can go onto win the UEFA Nations League. But for now, he is on the periphery.
#9 Kevin De Bruyne - Belgium/Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne is one of the best midfielders of the modern era. The Belgian international has been phenomenal for Pep Guardiola's side and has been Manchester City's best player for several seasons now.
He played a starring role last season as City lifted the Premier League and Carabao Cup. De Bruyne won the 2021 PFA Player of the Year Award for his exploits in the 2020-21 season.
De Bruyne racked up 18 assists in addition to scoring 10 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions for Manchester City in the 2020-21 season. He was also one of Belgium's best players at Euro 2020, scoring a goal and providing two assists in four appearances.
De Bruyne would have been one of the top contenders for the Ballon d'Or if Manchester City had won the Champions League final against Chelsea. But it was not to be.
#8 Harry Kane - England/Tottenham Hotspur
England striker Harry Kane has become the talk of the town after being heavily linked with an exit from Tottenham Hotspur this summer. But Kane has now come out and confirmed that he will stay at the club.
Kane was phenomenal for Spurs in the 2020-21 season, winning the Premier League Golden Boot and the Playmaker award. He scored a total of 33 goals and provided 17 assists across all competitions last season.
He scored four goals for England as the Three Lions made it to the final of Euro 2020 as well. But a lack of trophies means Kane is unlikely to even make the Ballon d'Or podium.