Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo: list of candidates to Ballon d'Or 2021

After the end of the European Championship and the Copa America, the great world stars have increased their chances of winning the Ballon d'Or while others have definitively buried them.  In a season in which there has been no clear dominator, let's see which players would be the favorites to win the prized award.

Who are the main candidates to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or?  

1. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is the number one candidate to win the Ballon d'Or again, the seventh of his career. The Argentine has remained among the best throughout the season, as he usually does year after year, and has finally lifted a title with Argentina's senior national team. That Copa America is his best guarantee to win the award and he was also champion of the Copa del Rey with Barcelona.

2. Neymar Jr. 

Neymar Jr. is back to the nominations he deserves. He is perhaps the most in-form player on the current scene and recalibrated the atheists to his figure in an elimination against Bayern Munich that can only be classified as sublime. At 29 years old, he is in the best moment of his extraordinary soccer career; comfortable at PSG negotiating a succulent negotiation, exploiting a sporting ecosystem designed for him and Kylian Mbappe.  

Neymar Jr. numbers, which are very good, do not fully reflect the undisputed, and even hegemonic, quality of the Brazilian at the "parisien" club. In 31 matches, Neymar JR has 17 goals and 11 assists. Like the other Latin players, he may be hurt by not being able to play the CONMEBOL qualifiers with Brazil (until the double date of June 4 and 8), as these matches make the difference in such a close and quirky vote as this one. PSG failed to overcome Manchester City to reach their second consecutive Champions League final.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo could not be left out of the possible candidates for this year's top award. The Portuguese striker turned 36 in February and, in doing so, continues to prove that age is no impediment to being one of the best. Although his season has not received the spotlight of yesteryear, his numbers are indisputable. 

In total, he scored 36 goals in 44 games for Juventus. However, the 'Vecchia Signora', for the first time in almost 10 years, has failed to be crowned Serie A champion. Likewise, the fate of CR7 and his club in the Champions League once again took a turn for the worse after their elimination at the hands of Porto. In short, the collective performance of his team may be the biggest point of criticism before a possible victory for Cristiano.

4. Jorginho

Champions League winner with Chelsea and Eurocup winner with Italy. You can't ask more from a footballer in one season. And he has done it being undisputed both in his club and with the national team and with an outstanding role.

5. Robert Lewandowski

Soccer owes a Ballon d'Or to Robert Lewandowski. The Pole was the great favorite to win it last year, but France Football's decision not to award the prize clearly hurt him. And although this year he has not won all the titles and Poland fell in the group stage of the European Championship, he has not stepped on the brakes and continues to score goals. He is the current Golden Boot.

6. N'golo Kanté

European Champion with Chelsea and MVP of the final, the bad Eurocup in France has made him lose options for the Ballon d'Or but he is still a serious candidate and will surely end up in the top positions.

7. Gianluigi Donnarumma

Seeing a goalkeeper win the Ballon d'Or is something almost unprecedented, only Lev Yashin has achieved it. And it is hard to believe that if other goalkeepers like Buffon or Casillas did not achieve it, Donnarumma is going to do it, especially now that there is an award only for goalkeepers. But considering the level he showed at the European Championship, which won the tournament and was voted best player, we should not rule him out at all.