Top 10 2022 Ballon d’Or Potential Candidates

10. Christopher Nkunku 

Why he could win: Christopher Nkunku will probably miss out on the Ballon d’Or because of the team he plays for. His Leipzig team, although elite in quality, has not made a significant mark on Europe. Yet his numbers pop out, especially considering the ultra-competitive Bundesliga field he jostles against.

Nkunku scored 35 goals for Leipzig, including seven Champions League scores in six games and four in five Europa League games. He thrilled German audiences with his attacking prowess. Nkunku finished fourth in the Bundesliga Golden Boot race, added a whopping nineteen assists to his stat sheet, and tied with Thomas Muller for most goal-creating actions.

Why he might not win: Unlike others on this list, Nkunku barely won any trophies. The only silverware he hoisted was the DfB-Pokal. He scored the equalizing goal in the first 90 minutes and iced a penalty to help Leipzig over Freiburg. His side is not better than the big fish like Real, Liverpool, or City. Leipzig’s disappointing finish in Europe, where they finished third in their Champions League group and failed to secure a winnable Europa League championship, will also hurt.

He doesn’t have the trophies, the general stature that top-tier clubs have, and does not the name recognition. All the other names here are instantly recognizable, but for Nkunku, his reputation is somewhat more obscure. Sure, he won the Bundesliga Player of The Season while becoming a dependable player for the French national team, but Nkunku is not a celebrated star. He is a new kid with a breakout season.

But it is nice to see Nkunku land on a list dominated by Real, PSG, Bayern, City, and Liverpool stars. He provides variety to the list, and he’s an X-factor that voters will consider.

9. Luka Modric

Why he could win: Real’s star players have a good chance of winning the Ballon d’Or because they won the Champions League and La Liga. Modric emerged as a vital player in Real’s trophy-chasing season. Although this international break did not see him lead his Croatia side to a World Cup final, he did well.

Modric was a passing maestro, completing 88.1% of his 1,734 passes and getting eight assists. He had 73 shot-creating actions, FBREF reports, and eleven goal-creating actions. The Croatian led his team to a shock Nations League performance, where they beat Denmark and France to take second in a winnable group. Modric’s technical quality was unrivaled in Europe, and he spurred Real to one of their best seasons to date.

Why he might not win: Modric did not do anything out of the ordinary or set records in his season. Although he was indispensable to Real, he was not the team’s star. The spotlight was placed on his attacking teammates. While being the core part of Croatia’s side, Croatia played no games after the Ballon d’Or ceremony except a draw with Slovenia, a win against Bulgaria, and many low-key friendlies. And Modric’s Nations League dreams seem somewhat unrealistic considering Denmark’s red-hot form and a two-point lead over Croatia.

Despite being offensively adept, Modric did not show his defensive skills at Real. In Ancelotti’s set-up, he sat back, launched long balls, and threatened defenses with his lethality and ability to streak into dangerous places. He did not need to show his defense side, and it showed. Modric only made 20 tackles in the season.

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8. Neymar

Why he could win: Neymar had a productive season with both PSG and the Selecao. The Paris playmaker scored 13 goals and assisted six times in just 22 games en route to a Ligue 1 championship. Although PSG’s season was disappointing considering the players they got in the transfer market, Neymar was a rare ray of brilliance that Paris came to rely on.

Neymar fared better with Brazil in World Cup qualification and an array of high-quality friendlies. His Brazil side went unbeaten in World Cup qualification, winning fourteen matches and drawing another three. Neymar scored a team-high eight goals for his country, second in South America, and a tournament-high eight assists. Neymar netted a brace in Brazil’s 5-1 rout of South Korea, and his penalty in the 76th minute led Brazil to a 1-0 win over South Korea.

Why he might not win: Ballon d’Or voters consider team performances and not only individual performance. Although Neymar troubled defenders with stylish play, his PSG side could not take advantage of its overall star power. They fumbled the Coupe de France to Nice and imploded spectacularly against Real in the Champions League.

Even if we solely look at Neymar’s goalscoring records, he was not all that great. His 13 goals were ninth in Ligue 1, and his season was arguably worse than other players. Wissam Ben Yedder, Moussa Dembele, and Martin Terrier scored way more goals than he did, and his assist count was somewhat average. His bid for a Ballon d’Or will be a stretch while being overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe.

7. Vinicius Jr.

Why he can win: Vinicius Jr. had a magnificent season. Not only did he cement himself as one of Brazil’s best forwards, but he was also a core part of Real’s season. Vinicius scored 17 goals with 10 assists in LaLiga. He added four goals with six assists in Real’s Champions League-winning campaign, one of which came against Liverpool to secure the Champions League.

Vinicius’ technique and showy dribbling produced many memorable clips. From nutmegging Fernandinho to his mind-boggling, flashy goal against Shakhtar, his ability to fill social media feeds should sway some voters.

Why he might not win: Vinicius’ numbers do not pop out when you compare them to his LaLiga counterparts. His Real teammate Benzema beats him in goals and assists, and he is not first in other orthodox offensive stats. His bread and butter is his dribbling and pace, which might not separate him from the pack.

It’s worth noting he is in the shadow of Benzema. He’s the most experienced, most successful, and the most known. Most will cast a vote for the Frenchman before they do for Vinicius. He would be the favorite if Benzema had an average season. Yet he is young, and voters will look for time-tested stars rather than wunderkinds dominating LaLiga.

6. Kylian Mbappe

Why he can win: Despite PSG’s underwhelming season, Mbappe was arguably the best player in Ligue 1. He led Ligue 1 in goals, assists, goal-creating actions, a several other offensive stats. He also won Ligue 1 to round out a successful season for the club. He scored six goals in 673 Champions League minutes, including both of PSG’s goals in their horrible round of 16 matches against Real.

For his country, he won the 2020-21 Nations League. The Frenchman scored four goals, including the winning goal in the final, to help France to its first-ever Nations League trophy. L’Equipe, who plays a hand in awarding the Ballon d’Or, recognizes his star power. The magazine gave Mbappe an elusive 10/10 match rating after scoring four goals against Kazhakstan.

Why he might not win: A surprisingly weak PSG flopped in French competitions. Despite dominating Ligue 1, they bowed out of the Coupe de France earlier than expected and lost the Trophee des Champions against Lille. PSG’s poor performance in the Champions League will push voters out of the bandwagon. Although he played well this season, Ligue 1 is uncompetitive compared to Europe’s best leagues. France’s failures in the 2021-22 Nations League will make voting for Mbappe foolish over other players on this list.

5. Robert Lewandowski

Why he can win: After getting robbed out of a Ballon d’Or in 2021, Lewandowski returned to club football with a bang. He went on to lead the Bundesliga in goals, scoring a shocking 35 of them. He finished second in Champions League goals with 13 but played over 200 minutes less than first-place Karim Benzema. Although Bayern played horribly in the DFB-Pokal, they dominated the Bundesliga and won the DFL-Supercup. Bayern surprisingly bounced out of the Champions League at the hands of underdogs Villarreal, but Die Roten can chalk up the 2021-22 season as a productive one.

Lewandowski led Poland to its ninth-ever World Cup berth, and while its Nations League campaign is not going to plan, they stand a mighty chance of staying in their group and fending off relegation.

Why he might not win: Lewandowski is in the same boat as Mbappe. His team plays in a largely uncompetitive league, and they did not dominate German football outright. When it came to Champions League football, Bayern could not make the deep run they did in 2021 and lost in the quarter-finals. A lack of trophies for Lewandowski will surely hurt him.

Poland’s relative status as a minnow will hurt Lewandowski. The 6-1 loss to Belgium will stay in the back of voters’ minds. Their lowly standing in the Nations League only reinforces the narrative that Lewandowski is not good enough to carry the Polish side, and so he does not deserve a Ballon d’Or. He needs for more silverware if Lewandowski wants to campaign for another Ballon d’Or.

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4. Kevin de Bruyne

Why he can win: De Bruyne‘s case for a Ballon d’Or looks stronger than ever. His Manchester City side won the Premier League and forged a deep run into the Champions League. It is worth noting the midfielder had 15 goals, sixth in the Premier League. He added eight assists to his count, good for tenth. Yet De Bruyne’s bread and butter rest in his pinpoint passing. He made 88 key passes(passes ending with a shot), second in the Premier League. He had 101 crosses, and 1,822 touches in the season.

De Bruyne was a force of nature for Belgium. He led his side to a World Cup berth while making the Red Devils into a legitimate contender in Europe. Between Belgium’s exit from the Euros in July and their draw with Wales in June, De Bruyne assisted thrice and scored twice.

Why he might not win: De Bruyne’s lack of trophies, aside from the Premier League could hurt his case. Manchester City did not win the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, or the Champions League despite making deep runs. Ballon d’Or voters will not let go of Manchester City’s spectacular implosion against Real in the Champions League, or how West Ham United bested City in the EFL Cup to deny them another chance at a trophy.

His international stints with Belgium also have some holes in them. The Netherlands showed that when they outclassed Belgium 4-1 in their Nations League opener. De Bruyne is a manager’s dream, and a complete player, but this was not a Ballon d’Or-deserving season from the Belgian beast. With his quality, it is likely he makes another push for his first Ballon d’Or.

3. Mohamed Salah

Why he can win: Salah had a great season, collecting numerous awards and becoming an indispensable part of Liverpool’s front line. He won the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, split the Premier League Golden Boot with Son Heung-min, and took home both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. Additionally, he performed well with his national team.

Affectionately nicknamed the Egyptian King, Salah led his Egypt to an AFCON second-place finish, scoring two goals and making the Best XI in the process. He continued his streak of good form in March although Egypt came up short against Senegal for the second straight time. He led the Premier League in goals, assists, shots, and more in a fantastic 2021-22 season.

Why he might not win: Salah’s teams came up short in the biggest moments. His Liverpool lost the Champions League to Real, and could not keep up with Manchester City in the Premier League. Egypt dramatically lost to their rivals Senegal in the AFCON finals and fumbled a pristine chance at World Cup qualification to the same team. Even though Salah dominated most stat categories and had a great season, his achievements do not compare with other contenders.

2. Sadio Mane

Why he can win: Even though Mane did not have the stats that Salah had, Mane had a more successful season. He gave Senegal its first-ever AFCON title in 2021, icing the winning penalty. He returned a few months later to send Senegal to its third-ever World Cup. And that is only the beginning of the accolades he bagged. The now-Bayern star won the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup with Liverpool. Mane has the edge over Salah in accolades, which voters will take any day over stats.

But Mane has numbers too. Aside from securing a 35-million-pound transfer, Mane scored sixteen goals and added two assists from the left-wing, while coming fifth in shots on target and fourth in carries into the penalty box. Mane and Salah should have similar vote counts, but I think Mane narrowly edges Salah thanks to Senegal’s success.

Why he might not win: The season was a successful one for Mane, but he missed an integral part of his season: the Champions League. The absence of arguably the most significant trophy in the 2022 timespan will hurt his case. That, added to a notable lack of stats compared to his fellow Ballon d’Or contenders, makes voting for Mane harder. Despite his heavy involvement in his teams’ seasons, Mane did not have the apparent dominance that voters want to see.

1. Karim Benzema

Why he could win: CheapGoals’ projected Ballon d’Or winner is Karim Benzema. Not only did he win LaLiga, the Champions League, the Supercopa de Espana, and the UEFA Nations League, but had a very good time doing it. Benzema led LaLiga in goals, and shots on target, and came second in assists. The Lyon native was also the top Champions League scorer, won the Champions League Player of the Season, and made the Team of The Season.

For France, Benzema proved irreplaceable. He scored the equalizer in the Nations League before dominating World Cup qualification matches and stomping on smaller nations. His season was unforgettable, and voters will surely consider his trophy haul and vote for him.

Why he might not win: Personally, I do not think there is any good reason to vote against him. One could be the lack of name recognition when compared to Salah and Mane, who pull millions of Twitter mentions every day. Another could be that he does not play in the “ultra-competitive, challenging” Premier League. Yet everyone, from Lionel Messi to Mathieu Valbuena says he should win the Ballon d’Or. Yet it will be interesting to see how the Ballon d’Or votes spread, as Benzema figures to take the award for the very first time.

FAQ

When is the Ballon d’Or 2022 gala?

The Ballon d’Or 2022 gala will take place on Monday, 17th October, two months earlier than the usual date.

Which city will host the Ballon d’Or 2022 gala?

The Ballon d’Or 2022 gala will be held at the Théâtre Châtelet in Paris, where the last editions of the award have been held.

Any new changes to the Ballon d’Or format?

Not only will the Ballon d’Or follow the regular European season rather than the calendar year, but only journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA World Rankings will be able to vote.

Is ballon d’or real gold?

The Ballon d’Or model is made of pure natural environmental protection resin. Resin is the most suitable for home decoration. The material not only environmental protection, but also hard, and with good texture, good luster, not easy to wear, not easy to scratch, not easy to touch ash, can be washed.

What is the most prestigious award in football?

The Ballon d’Or

Since 1956, France Football magazine has been giving out the Ballon d’Or award to the best footballer in the world every year. The oldest and still the most prestigious award in the game, the Ballon d’Or was merged with the FIFA award for six years till 2009 but has since become an independent award.