Ballon D'Or: Two winners to be announced this year

THE Ballon D’Or award which was cancelled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 outbreak, will return this year on December 5 with the top players for 2020 and 2021 being honoured.

This will be a first in the history of the award.

Lionel Messi, then of Barcelona, won the award in 2019.

While the 2020 award looks certain to be won by Robert Lewandowski after he powered Bayern Munich to victories in the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Champions League with 55 goals in 47 appearances across all competitions.

The 30 nominees for the men’s award will be released on October 8.

The award for this year looks to be a much harder one to predict with as many as seven players in the reckoning.

Lionel Messi is in the frame to claim it after winning the 2021 Copa America, which is his first-ever major trophy with Argentina.

If the 34-year-old does win, it will be for a record seventh time.

His perennial rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, will also be in the mix alongside Chelsea’s midfield duo of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho, UEFA's best player of the year.

World Cup winner Kante added the Champions League title to his many achievements this year. Kante put in a series of Man-of-the-Match displays as Chelsea saw off Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Manchester City in the final to win the trophy.

Italian midfielder Jorginho finished the 2020/2021 season as Chelsea’s top scorer in the Premier League with seven goals. He carried that form into Euro 2020, playing every game as his country won the trophy.

There is also Kylian Mbappe who scored 42 times in 47 games in all competitions for Paris Saint-Germain last season.

Lewandowski should also be in the frame as the Bayern Munich striker won last season’s European Golden Shoe. He scored a record-breaking 41 goals in the Bundesliga in 2020/2021, breaking Gerd Muller’s long-standing record of 40 goals set in the 1971/1972 season.

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit believes Kante deserves to win the Ballon d’Or.

“It’s a bit like Baresi, who didn’t win despite his level,” said Gullit.

“Those who score attract more and more attention.

“It would be nice to see someone who attracts less attention for goals, like Kante, win.” - Agencies, October 2, 2021