The Best FIFA Men's Player Award 2021: Ranking the top 5 favourites - December 2021
The Best FIFA Men's Player Award is one of the most prestigious individual prizes in the world of football. The Best FIFA Men's Player Award is right next to the Ballon d'Or in terms of significance. The much coveted trophy will be handed out at the The Best FIFA Football Awards online ceremony which will be held on 17th January.
The Best FIFA Men's Player Award uses a unique voting system
The Ballon d'Or and the Best FIFA Men's Player Award use different voting systems. The former is decided on the basis of an aggregate of votes from journalists, national team captains and coaches.
Meanwhile, the Best FIFA Men's Player Award has a voting system that's unique to itself. Voters are divided into four categories - national team captains, national team coaches, media representatives and fans. Each of the four categories get 25% of the vote share.
In 2020, we had a clear cut winner in Robert Lewandowski. Things are much tighter this time around. Without further ado, let's take a look at the top five favourites for the Best FIFA Men's Player Award.
#5 Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah has raced past multiple competitors to become a top contender in the race for the 2021 Best FIFA Men's Player Award. Salah was one of the only bright spots for Liverpool in an otherwise underwhelming 2020-21 season.
The Egyptian international scored 31 goals and provided six assists in 51 appearances across all competitions for Jurgen Klopp's men last term. He has stepped it up in the 2021-22 campaign and has been in sublime form.
In fact, it could be said that on current form, Salah might just be in the top three players in the world. He has scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in just 18 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool so far this term.
The sheer amount of impact he has had in the Premier League in recent times is immense. He has scored some wonderful solo goals and has been a difference maker for Liverpool in and around the final third. That's why he has cracked into our top five favourites for the 2021 Best FIFA Men's Player Award.
Jurgen Klopp wasn't impressed with Mo Salah's Ballon d'Or ranking 👀 https://t.co/MrAQUzs2IE
#4 Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema is yet another player whose credentials have grown considerably in recent months. Benzema went trophyless with Real Madrid in the 2020-21 season. But he scored 30 goals and provided nine assists in 46 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos last term.
This allowed Benzema to earn a call-up to the French national side for Euro 2020. This was the first time that the 33-year-old was named in the national squad after a gap of six years. He scored four goals in four appearances for Les Bleus in the continental competition.
Benzema then started the 2021-22 season in spectacular fashion. He has been prolific in terms of goalscoring and his all-round game has been one of the highlights of Real Madrid's season so far. Benzema inspired France to a UEFA Nations League triumph, scoring important goals in the semi-finals and final of the competition.
He has scored 16 goals and provided eight assists in 18 appearances across all competitions in the 2021-22 season so far. We wouldn't be very surprised if Benzema made the Best FIFA Men's Player Award podium.
#BallonDor #BallonDor2021 #KarimBenzema
@Benzema not upset after Ballon d'Or snub: @MrAncelotti
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