Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Robert Lewandowski have been shortlisted along with 27 others for the 2021 Ballon d’Or.
Gatekeepers News reports that the names of the trio – Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Robert Lewandowski, and 27 others were announced in a series of social media posts by France Football on Friday.
Following a COVID-19-stricken year, the trio have become the frontrunners to pick up the award, as organisers prepare for the ceremony which has been billed for November.
However, only one player will go home with one of the world’s most prestigious individual awards.
The 30-man list includes a goalkeeper, five defenders, nine midfielders, and 15 forwards drawn from various football clubs across Europe.
Following a brilliant performance last season, five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo looks to match the record of six awards set by Messi.
The returnee Red Devil forward who was elected the Premier League Player of the month of September netted 36 goals and made four assists while he was with Juventus last season.
His counterpart, Messi was also crucial to Barcelona’s performance in the 2020/2021 season, although the Spanish team failed to add a trophy to their cabinet.
The 34-year-old, however, bade them farewell to join his former Barcelona teammate, Neymar (who was also shortlisted) at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Below is the full list of the 30 footballers shortlisted for this year’s Ballon d’Or below:
Goalkeeper
Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG)
Defenders
Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)
Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
Simon Kjær (AC Milan)
Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
Midfielders
N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
Mason Mount (Chelsea)
Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Pedri (Barcelona)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
Jorginho (Chelsea)
Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Forwards
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
Harry Kane (Tottenham)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
Lionel Messi (PSG)
Neymar (PSG)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Gerard Moreno (Villarreal)
Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid)
