Bosnia And Herzegovina
Burkina Faso
Czech Republic
Indonesia
South Korea

Ballon d'Or 2021 nominees: Messi, Ronaldo, Lewandowski & Jorginho all on list for award twitter facebook reddit twitter facebook reddit

goal.com, 8 October 2021, 17:02
With France Football having taken a coronavirus-enforced break in 2020, anticipation is building ahead of the next awarding of a Golden Ball

Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski are among the nominees on the 30-man 2021 Ballon d'Or longlist to have been released by France Football.

Other superstar performers to get the nod include Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema and Romelu Lukaku.

A Golden Ball heading in the direction of any of those mentioned above would come as no surprise, but the likes of Euro 2020 winner Jorginho and his Chelsea team-mate N'Golo Kante also have their sights set on a shock win.

Who is in contention for the 2021 Ballon d'Or?

A list was leaked which revealed the 30 names, 25 of which have been confirmed by France Football thus far.

Leaked list

Phil Foden

Kylian Mbappe

Gerard Moreno

Luis Suarez

Cristiano Ronaldo

Confirmed

Cesar Azpilicueta

Nicolo Barella

Karim Benzema

Leonardo Bonucci

Giorgio Chiellini

Kevin De Bruyne

Ruben Dias

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Bruno Fernandes

Erling Haaland

Jorginho

Harry Kane

N'Golo Kante

Simon Kjaer

Robert Lewandowski

Romelu Lukaku

Riyad Mahrez

Lautaro Martinez

Lionel Messi

Luka Modric

Mason Mount

Neymar

Pedri

Mohamed Salah

Raheem Sterling

When will the 2021 winner be revealed?

Now that a 30-man list of top performers from the last 12 months has been compiled, the voting process can begin.

A selection of international journalists, national team coaches and captains will be polled to determine the winner, with each voter being asked to pick out their top five.

Once that process has been completed, the prestigious prize will be handed out at a glitzy ceremony in Paris on November 29.

Past winners

With France Football being forced to take a coronavirus-enforced break from Ballon d'Or duty in 2020, the current holders of the men's and women's gongs have reigned for two years.

Argentine superstar Messi was the last man to land the male award back in 2019, with the iconic South American claiming top prize for a record-breaking sixth time.

Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski missed out on succeeding the now Paris Saint-Germain forward despite enjoying a remarkable run in front of goal last year - with the prolific Pole having to make do with a FIFA Best award.

Messi and his eternal rival Ronaldo have shared 11 of the last 12 Ballons d'Or between them, with Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric the only man to have broken their duopoly in 2018.

Among the other notable names to have taken first prize in the past are Kaka, Fabio Cannavaro, Ronaldinho, Michael Owen, Luis Figo, Zineidine Zidane, Ronaldo, George Weah, Marco van Basten, Roberto Baggio, Michel Platini, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, Gerd Muller, George Best, Bobby Charlton, Lev Yashin, Alfredo Di Stefano and Stanley Matthews.

The current holder of the women's award is USWNT star Megan Rapinoe, with England's Lucy Bronze finishing as runner-up in 2019.

The inaugural winner of the female Golden Ball back in 2018 was Norwegian star Ada Hegerberg, who has just returned to action with Lyon after 21 months stuck on the sidelines through injury.

Who is in contention for the 2021 Ballon d'Or Feminin?

France Football also released 20 nominees for the women's award, with superstars like Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder, and Vivianne Miedema making the list.

Rapinoe was not nominated this time around, though her international team-mate Sam Mewis did make the list as the only American nominee.

Alexia Putellas, who won this year's UEFA Women's Player of the Year award is on the list, as well as three major contributors for Canada's Olympic gold medal winners: Jessie Fleming, Ashley Lawrence and Christine Sinclair.

Full list

Alexia Putellas

Magdalena Eriksson

Marie-Antoinette Katoto

Sam Kerr

Stina Blackstenius

Wendie Renard

Samantha Mewis

Pernille Harder

Vivianne Miedema

Sandra Panos

Lieke Martens

Jessie Fleming

Irene Paredes

Ashley Lawrence

Christine Sinclair

Ellen White

Christiane Endler

Jennifer Hermoso

Fran Kirby

Kadidiatou Diani

Other awards

France Football announced 10-man shortlists for two further awards: the Kopa Trophy, given to the best performing player under the age of 21, and the Yashin Trophy, given to the best goalkeeper.

Kopa Trophy shortlist: Mason Greenwood, Bukayo Saka, Pedri, Jeremy Doku, Ryan Gravenberch, Jamal Musiala, Florian Wirtz, Jude Bellingham, Giovanni Reyna, Nuno Mendes

Yashin Trophy shortlist: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ederson, Kasper Schmeichel, Edouard Mendy, Keylor Navas, Emiliano Martínez, Manuel Neuer, Jan Oblak, Samir Handanovic

Show more

Top News

11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Celtic have confirmed that they have reached a pre-contract agreement to re-sign Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney at the end of the season. 11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have reportedly drawn up a plan to win the race for Nottingham Forest's Murillo this summer after trying and failing to lure him away from the City Ground in January. 11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Conor Bradley has earned the trust of Arne Slot and should be considered a candidate to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold should he leave the club in the summer, Reds expert David Lynch has argued. 11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Former Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips believes that Pep Guardiola's side "can win" against Real Madrid in Tuesday's Champions League showdown as long as they "cut the mistakes out". 11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk All transfer business is done and dusted for this season, but that doesn't stop clubs from preparing ahead for next season. 11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Tranmere vs. Fleetwood (Tuesday, 7.45pm) Looking to turn their fortunes around, struggling Tranmere Rovers welcome Fleetwood Town for their rescheduled matchday 16 League Two fixture this Tuesday. 11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Coventry vs. QPR (Tuesday, 7.45pm) Frank Lampard's Coventry City will hope to bounce back from FA Cup disappointment when they host Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday in the Championship at the Coventry Arena. 11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Brest vs. PSG (Tuesday, 5.45pm) Frequent foes in the French top flight, Paris Saint-Germain and Brest swap Ligue 1 for the Champions League on Tuesday evening, colliding in the first leg of their playoff tie at the Stade Francis-Le Ble. 11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has predicted the winner of the knockout round playoff tie with Manchester City will go on to win the Champions League. 11 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti have addressed the controversy from the 2024 Ballon d'Or awards ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash between their respective sides. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has reportedly reached an agreement to join Brazilian side Flamengo in the summer. 10 February 2025 talksport.com Manchester City must axe Pep Guardiola if they fail to get past Real Madrid in the Champions League. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Separated by five points in the middle of the Championship table, Swansea City and Sheffield Wednesday will square off in South Wales on Wednesday. 10 February 2025 talksport.com Abdoulaye Doucoure has criticised Frank Lampard's treatment of him during his time as Everton manager. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde during the summer transfer window. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are reportedly growing in confidence that they will complete the signing of Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia this summer after last year's failed move. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has reportedly attracted interest from Chelsea and Newcastle United ahead of the summer transfer window. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk The pick of Tuesday's Champions League playoff first-leg matches undoubtedly comes from the Etihad, where 2022-23 winners Manchester City and current holders Real Madrid square off in a clash of the titans. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly prepared to let Casemiro leave on loan to Flamengo before the end of the month. 10 February 2025 talksport.com Stars of the FA Cup fourth round Plymouth Argyle have been rewarded for their stunning win over Liverpool by being drawn against Manchester City. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Plymouth Argyle have been handed another mammoth task in the FA Cup fifth round having been drawn against Manchester City. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Benfica travel to the Stade Louis II for the second time this season to face Monaco in the Champions League knockout round playoffs on Wednesday night. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool go to Goodison Park for a Merseyside derby against Everton for the final time on Wednesday night in the 245th iteration of the fixture. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City's "best chance" of quelling the "almighty threat" of Real Madrid in the Champions League could be to select almost the same defence that excelled during their treble-winning season, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole. 10 February 2025 talksport.com Manchester City host Real Madrid this Tuesday night in the first leg of their Champions League play-off blockbuster. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Abdukodir Khusanov performed well in Man City's FA Cup win over Leyton Orient and there were signs to suggest that he has the potential to develop into a "special player", Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will ring the changes again when they welcome Bayern Munich to Glasgow in the Champions League on Wednesday. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Bayern Munich could be largely unchanged from the team that beat Werder Bremen when they go to Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday night. 10 February 2025 sportsmole.co.uk Celtic will play their first Champions League knockout match for 12 years when they welcome German giants Bayern Munich to Glasgow on Wednesday night. 10 February 2025 talksport.com Joao Felix has admitted he'd welcome the opportunity to stay at AC Milan despite being on loan from Chelsea.