Who will win the Ballon d’Or 2021? Shortlist, favourites, latest odds, date and hosts


Every since it's inception in 1956, the Ballon d’Or has been the most coveted individual award in all of football.

Although a team sport, individuals have always dominated the sport and the big, gold award has often been used as a way of guaging which player is the very best in the world at any given time.



What is the shortlist for 2021 Ballon d’Or?

The 30-man shortlist for the award was announced on 8 October, with the following nominees:

Name Club
1.Cesar Azpilicueta Chelsea
2.Nicolo Barella Inter
3.Karim Benzema Real Madrid
4.Leonardo Bonucci Juventus
5.Kevin De Bruyne Man City
6.Giorgio Chiellini Juventus
7.Cristiano Ronaldo Juventus / Man Utd
8.Ruben Dias Man City
9.Gianluigi Donnarumma Milan / PSG
10.Bruno Fernandes Man Utd
11.Phil Foden Man City
12.Erling Haaland Dortmund
13.Jorginho Chelsea
14.Harry Kane Tottenham
15.N'Golo Kante Chelsea
16.Simon Kjaer Milan
17.Robert Lewandowski Bayern Munich
18.Romelu Lukaku Inter / Chelsea
19.Lautaro Martinez Inter
.Kylian Mbappe PSG
21.Lionel Messi Barcelona / PSG
22.Luka Modric Real Madrid
23.Gerard Moreno Villarreal
24.Mason Mount Chelsea
25.Neymar PSG
26.Pedri Barcelona
27.Mohamed Salah Liverpool
28.Raheem Sterling Man City
29.Riyad Mahrez Man City
30.Luis Suarez Atletico Madrid
It will be reduced to a three-man shortlist closer to the event.

Who is the favourite to win the 2021 Ballon d’Or?
Following the announcement of the 30-man shortlist, there has not been a great deal of movement in the odds for the prize, with few surprises in the players to make the cut.

Lionel Messi remains favourite to win the crown for the seventh time, with the best price available on him 8/15.

Robert Lewandowski, who was the player that many people felt deserved to win the prize in 2020, is rated at 5/1.

Completing the big three favourites is Chelsea midfielder Jorginho, who won the Champions League with his club and Euro 2020 with Italy. He is available at 8/1.

Cristiano Ronaldo is 16/1 to win the Ballon d'Or and match Messi's achievement of winning it on six occasions, while N'Golo Kante is given the same price.

Perhaps a little surprisingly, Ronaldo's Man Utd team-mate Bruno Fernandes is one of a number of players priced at 100/1 to win the award. Manchester City's Phil Foden can also be backed at that price.

Who will win the Ballon d’Or 2021? Shortlist, favourites, latest odds, date and hosts

How is the Ballon d’Or decided and who votes?
The initial 30-man shortlist is compiled by the editors at France Football, the organisers of the event. Once that list has been completed, a selection of international journalists – one representative from each nation – and national team coaches and captains come together to decide the winner.

They are each asked to choose their top five players from the 30 selected, and order them from first to fifth based on: individual and collective performances during the year, player class and an overall view of the player’s career.

The player who is selected as the winner by each of the selection panel is awarded six points, second-place is given four points, down to one point for fifth place.

The total points for each player from every journalist, coach and captain are then added together to decide third, second and first place.

When does the 2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony take place?
The 2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on Monday, 29 November.

Where will the 2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony take place?
The ceremony will take place at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

Who will present the 2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony?
It is currently unknown who will present the ceremony. Sandy Heribert and Didier Drogba were the most recent hosts of the event.

Why was the 2020 Ballon d’Or cancelled?
The 2020 Ballon d’Or was controversially cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The pause in world football in March 2020 caused uncertainty over whether games would be played and if the season would be finished.

Indeed, both Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie ended their seasons early due to the pandemic, while international competitions like Euro 2020 were postponed.

The Ballon d’Or was cancelled on 20 July 2020, with France Football revealing the reason it would not be held was due to the “lack of a sufficiently level playing field” caused by the virus.

Who will win the Ballon d’Or 2021? Shortlist, favourites, latest odds, date and hosts
They added: “We did not want to put an indelible asterisk on the prize list as ‘a trophy won in exceptional circumstances due to the health crisis of Covid-19’.

“Protecting the credibility and legitimacy of such a prize also means guaranteeing its irreproachability over time.”

Bayern Munich’s Lewandowski was the favourite for the award had it not been cancelled.

What is the Women’s Ballon d’Or?
Alongside the men’s award, there is also a women’s Ballon d’Or that was introduced in 2018.

Like the men’s award, journalists from around the world vote on who has been the best player in the world during the calendar year. Lyon striker Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural women’s Ballon d’Or in 2018 and Megan Rapinoe lifted the prize in 2019.

The women’s ceremony was also cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

What was the FIFA Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or has been its own award since 1956, but between 2010 and 2015, it merged with FIFA’s ‘World Player of the Year’ award to form the FIFA Ballon d’Or.

The FIFA World Player of the Year had been an award between 1991 and 2009, with both Ronaldo Nazario and Zinedine Zidane winning it three times, before it joined with the Ballon d’Or in 2010.

Messi won the first-ever joint award, and retained it in 2011 and 2012 as well, with Cristiano Ronaldo winning successive awards in 2013 and 2014, before Messi won the final iteration of the award in 2015.

For 2016, FIFA and France Football parted ways, with the Ballon d’Or back to being its own independent award. FIFA, meanwhile, resurrected its previous award under a new name: The Best FIFA Men’s Player.

Lewandowski is the current holder of this award after winning it in 2020.

Past Ballon d'Or winners
1956 Stanley Matthews (England)
1957 Alfredo Di Stéfano (Spain)
1958 Raymond Kopa (France)
1959 Alfredo Di Stéfano (Spain)
1960 Luis Suárez (Spain)
1961 Omar Sívori (Italy)
1962 Josef Masopust (Czech Republic)
1963 Lev Yashin (Soviet Union)
1964 Denis Law (Scotland)
1965 Eusébio (Portugal)
1966 Bobby Charlton (England)
1967 Flórián Albert (Hungary)
1968 George Best (Northern Ireland)
1969 Gianni Rivera (Italy)
1970 Gerd Müller (Germany)
1971 Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1972 Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
1973 Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1974 Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1975 Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union)
1976 Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
1977 Allan Simonsen (Denmark)
1978 Kevin Keegan (England)
1979 Kevin Keegan (England)
1980 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Germany)
1981 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Germany)
1982 Paolo Rossi (Italy)
1983 Michel Platini (France)
1984 Michel Platini (France)
1985 Michel Platini (France)
1986 Igor Belanov (Soviet Union)
1987 Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)
1988 Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1989 Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1990 Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
1991 Jean-Pierre Papin (France)
1992 Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1993 Roberto Baggio (Italy)
1994 Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)
1995 George Weah (Liberia)
1996 Matthias Sammer (Germany)
1997 Ronaldo (Brazil)
1998 Zinedine Zidane (France)
1999 Rivaldo (Brazil)
2000 Luís Figo (Portugal)
2001 Michael Owen (England)
2002 Ronaldo (Brazil)
2003 Pavel Nedvěd (Czech Republic)
2004 Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine)
2005 Ronaldinho (Brazil)
2006 Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
2007 Kaka (Brazil)
2008 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2009 Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2010 Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2011 Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2012 Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2013 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2014 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2015 Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2016 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2017 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2018 Luka Modric (Croatia)
2019 Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Who has won the most Ballon d’Or trophies?
Lionel Messi has won the most Ballon d’Or trophies in football history. The former Barcelona forward has come out on top six times.

The Argentina star won the first of his six trophies in 2009. Further triumphs followed in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015 before his most recent victory in 2019.

Cristiano Ronaldo is next in the standings with five wins before there are three players who have each come out on top three times.

They are Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten.

How many Ballon d’Or trophies does Lionel Messi have?
Six.

As well as his record number of victories, Messi has finished in second place for the Ballon d’Or five times and in third position once, giving him 12 appearances in the top three.

How many Ballon d’Or trophies does Cristiano Ronaldo have?
Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or five times in his illustrious career.

He claimed his first in 2008, with further successes coming in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

The Portugal star has also recorded six second-place finishes as well as coming third once.


Lalasticlala. Mynd44
https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/transfer-news/2021/04/who-will-win-ballon-dor-2021-shortlist-favourites-latest-odds-date-hosts

Messi.

Messi deserves it because he had the best balance of individual contributions (Currently at 52 goals & assists in 2021) and trophies (Copa America & Copa Del Rey) where he was the main contributor to winning those trophies (best player in both competitions) in addition to the fact that he was highest goal scorer in La Liga with an impressive 30 goals.

Lewandowski has better individual stats than Messi (62 goals & assists in 2021) but doesn't score high in the area of trophies or impact in high value competitions (Copa America is considered more significant than Bayern's annual Bundesliga celebrations) (Also didn't do well in UCL)

Jorginho scores the highest in trophies won but is very average on individual contributions. I mean this is someone that was regularly subbed off the Italian team at the Euros and almost cost them the title with his missed penalty. In the UCL, Kante, Mount, Havertz and Giroud were the main drivers of Chelsea's win during the campaign. Jorginho can't even make it into Chelsea's first team currently.

So on the balance of all the relevant parameters, Messi should win the award and I even think Benzema should pip Jorginho to 3rd.

Contenders for 2021


1.Messi

2.Ronaldo

3.Lewandowski,

4.Karim Benzema and

5.Jorginho.

Messi has sealed his 7th balon d'or

We now focused on psg winning the ucl and Messi/Argentina having a great world cup outing

Then 8th balon d'or incoming

Former Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger has backed Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

Wenger strongly feels Benzema has a good chance to win the 2021 Ballon d’ Or based on individual form and consistency.

Jorgi

Lord Luxembourg's minions will gnash nd wail kum November29.

Messi deserves this. If not for the bitterness of Ronaldo fans, it is not what we will still be debating. They are trying hard to ensure Messi does not win it through media, but the whole world is more than them.

Numerouno94:
.

While it is true that Benzema deserves to be among the best because of his form and consistency, yet, for one to think about Benzema, many footballers must have been given. Messi, lewa and Jorginho stand better chance than Benzema, Madrid influence can work though.

Cristiano Ronaldo broke many world records this year and won 2 important trophies....

Once he wins this year, he will be the first to win in 3 different teams and leagues....

Immediately I saw "Lionel Messi remains favourite to win the crown for the seventh time, with the best price available on him 8/15", I stopped reading, the rest does not matter to me.
I need someone who could sneak a hidden camera into ronaldo's room that very night. The old fraud would be watching on TV and i need to see him crying while resting his head on the chest of his baby mama.

obonujoker:
Cristiano Ronaldo broke many world records this year and won 2 important trophies....

Once he wins this year, he will be the first to win in 3 different teams and leagues....

Ogbeni wake up to reality

Messi deserves the balon d'or every season.

Meanwhile, na God go bless that guy wey share this photo to Nairaland o

messi have already won it this year...him finally winning the copa sealed it, even Jorginho knew dt the ballon d or is off his limit n dts why he was rewarded by that UCL best..
messi go jus do photoshoot next friday.....mk d rest players reason next year balloon d or.
for those dt dnt like it should train n work harder bcoz u dnt win ballon d or by waiting for tap ins n scoring p.k..

ThierryJay:
Messi deserves it because he had the best balance of individual contributions (Currently at 52 goals & assists in 2021) and trophies (Copa America & Copa Del Rey) where he was the main contributor to winning those trophies (best player in both competitions) in addition to the fact that he was highest goal scorer in La Liga with an impressive 30 goals.

Lewandowski has better individual stats than Messi (62 goals & assists in 2021) but doesn't score high in the area of trophies or impact in high value competitions (Copa America is considered more significant than Bayern's annual Bundesliga celebrations) (Also didn't do well in UCL)

Jorginho scores the highest in trophies won but is very average on individual contributions. I mean this is someone that was regularly subbed off the Italian team at the Euros and almost cost them the title with his missed penalty. In the UCL, Kante, Mount, Havertz and Giroud were the main drivers of Chelsea's win during the campaign. Jorginho can't even make it into Chelsea's first team currently.

So on the balance of all the relevant parameters, Messi should win the award and I even think Benzema should pip Jorginho to 3rd.

well interpreted...oil dey ur head

robosky02:
Contenders for 2021


1.Messi

2.Ronaldo

3.Lewandowski,

4.Karim Benzema and

5.Jorginho.

remove dt cr7 from dt list....Jorginho, lewa ir kante would share d stage with messi
cr7 did nothing to end up In top 5, u dnt earn such with tapins n p.k or scoring hatriick against Luxembourg

antiApc:
Messi has sealed his 7th balon d'or

We now focused on psg winning the ucl and Messi/Argentina having a great world cup outing

Then 8th balon d'or incoming

u just predicted the future....a normal season for messi with trophies won would seal his 8th award even if PSG no win UCL...as long as teams like Bayern, united n madrid no win ucl too

robosky02:


Former Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger has backed Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

Wenger strongly feels Benzema has a good chance to win the 2021 Ballon d’ Or based on individual form and consistency.

not surprised bcox na e country man...if sari dey hype Jorginho, benzema better pass am na
Benz had a good individual stat bt his lack of trophies would cost him..

obonujoker:
Cristiano Ronaldo broke many world records this year and won 2 important trophies....

Once he wins this year, he will be the first to win in 3 different teams and leagues....

abeg no vex which cr7 be dt?? the same gee wey flop for juve dt made dm luckily finished 4th, was disgraced by Porto n was lost in dt euors defeat to Belgium..
which important trophies did he win dts more important than d UCL and the euros??
ballon d or isnt determined by breaking "many world records", or u mean uefa should gv him d award bcox e broke dt Ali goal record?
no be Dubai d or b dis oo..
how many balloon d or did Ali won as he held d record for years??

Messi and Ronaldo shouldn't make top 3,quote me to spew nonsense and visit by both sango,Ogun and Amadioha.nonsense

Messi minions will feel the kind of shock Buhari frlls whenever a news is reported

Messi go collect copa d'or