In 2021, Lionel Messi picked up his record-breaking 7th Ballon d’Or for his services to football. The 2021 year was extremely precious to football players and fans worldwide, especially seeing as the Covid-19 pandemic saw the prestigious event cancelled in 2020. Over the last decade, the Ballon d’Or receivers have been dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi. Now, as they reach the latter years of their careers and there are plenty of other talented players worthy of winning the award, it’s time to think about which players are in with the chance of picking up the award in 2022.
Mo Salah
First up on our list of potential 2022 Ballon d’Or winners is Mohamed Salah. Currently playing for Liverpool, the Egyptian goal-scoring master is racking up the numbers and breaking records left, right, and centre. In the 2021/2022 Premier League season, he has appeared 20 times and scored 16 times as well as assisting with nine further goals. Salah has many accolades behind him, including Golden Boots, Goal of the Month awards, and Player of the Month recognition on several occasions. If Salah can keep up his impressive work at Anfield, there is a good chance that he will be lifting his first Ballon d’Or in 2022.
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Erling Haaland
Norwegian player Erling Haaland, who is a striker for Borussia Dortmund and Norway’s international team, already has incredible goal stats for 2021/22 despite injuries. Across all competitions and appearances, Haaland has scored 22 goals in 19 appearances. Unfortunately, back in October 2021, he was injured and faced a serious hip injury. If it wasn’t for his injury, Haaland would have had even greater goal numbers. His sheer energy, passion, skill, and determination allows him the opportunity to be voted in to pick up the Ballon d’Or in 2022.
Kylian Mbappe
Paris Saint-Germain sensation, Kylian Mbappe, is proving himself to be up there with the greatest players in the world. So far, in the 2021/2022 season, he has found the back of the net 19 times in 15 games. Although he is currently signed to PSG, he is heavily linked to joining the ranks of Real Madrid. As well as playing for PSG, Mbappe joined the likes of Madrid star Karim Benzema in the French international team. Goal scoring numbers like this show the 23-year-old to be a top-tier player, which means he stands a good chance of picking up the prestigious award.
Karim Benzema
When Ronaldo departed Real Madrid in 2018, he left a superstar-size shoe to fill. Luckily, Karim Benzema was left behind to take up the mantle and become the next hero of Los Blancos. Over the years, Benzema has proven that he is more than capable of finding the back of the net. In the 2021/22 season alone, he has found the back of the net 24 times across all of his 27 appearances for Madrid. Outside of his club, Benzema is an integral part of his international team of France. In the 2020/21 season, Benzema as part of the French team when they took the title at UEFA Nations League. If this young man carries on the way he is, there is a good chance that a Ballon d’Or is on his cards for 2022.
Pedri
At only 18 years old, Pedri is the baby of our group of potential Ballon d’Or 2022 winners. Currently, Pedri hasn’t scored for Barcelona in the 2021/2022 season so far, but this hasn’t stopped him from showing fans what he is made of. On the international stage, his quality has been spotted because the Spanish team are taking him along for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Although Pedri doesn’t have the numbers that other contenders have, there’s no denying that his achievements in football are great.
Phil Foden
Manchester City’s Phil Foden has already demonstrated his excellence in football. In 2021, he missed a couple of games at City down to injury but has since scored seven goals and six assists in 21 appearances. At the age of 21, Foden has demonstrated his ability on the international stages as well, having joined the England squad in their battle for the Euro 2020. If they can keep up their team spirit, they are more than capable of bringing football “home” in the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup.
Kevin De Bruyne
Amidst the ranks at Manchester City is Kevin De Bruyne, who is dubbed as one of the greatest midfielders in the world. In the course of the 2021/22 season, Bruyne has scored seven goals. However, given his position, the number of goals he scores isn’t the most important part. Instead, this Belgian footballer demonstrates his ability by showing that he can lead a team through to victory. As well as being a powerful part of the City line-up, he’s an integral part of the Belgium international team, who always give the international stage a good run for its money.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Despite winning the Ballon d’Or five times already, Ronaldo is still playing strong ahead of his 37th Birthday. After moving back to Manchester United in 2021, Ronaldo has scored 14 goals in 23 appearances. Although Manchester United aren’t ranking too high on the league table, Ronaldo demonstrates his ability. The Red Devils striker is capable of winning the Ballon d’Or in 2022, but there is plenty of younger talent who deserve a chance.
The Ballon d’Or is a prestigious trophy, with fans and footballers showing excitement for it every year. Although it’s anyone’s game, the superstars in this list are our favourites with the chance to pick up the award in 2022.
