After being cancelled the previous year, the race for the 2021 Ballon d’Or award is now in top gear as the great and good of the football world again eye the biggest individual honour of the game. Even though the top prize will not be handed out until the year’s end, performances over the coming weeks will go a long way in determining the award. With the European season over and both European Championship and the Copa America racing towards a conclusion, the world’s best players are beginning to come to the fore.
Barcelona skipper Lionel Messi is now leading the race to win this year’s prestigious Ballon d’Or award. The Argentina international currently is ahead of contenders Harry Kane and N’Golo Kante, according to the report on SportsBible.
Despite the La Liga side failing to secure the Spanish title, the talismanic striker was in scintillating form for the Blaugrana last season. Messi, who is now a free agent after his Barcelona contract expired at the end of June, lifted the Copa del Rey trophy with the La Liga side. In this period, Messi has scored an impressive 30 goals in the La Liga season to finish as the top scorer last year ahead of Real Madrid rival Karim Benzema.
The six-time Ballon d’Or winner has carried over on the international stage as the Argentina captain is also starring for his country at this year’s Copa America. The star striker has scored four times and registered four assists as Lionel Scaloni’s men will now face Colombia in the Copa America semi-final on Wednesday.
According to an OddsChecker report, the bookmakers have placed the Barcelona star as the favourite to win the coveted prize this year. Here are the current odds for the top 15 players in contention for the Ballon d’Or:
Lionel Messi
Harry Kane
N’Golo Kante
Cristiano Ronaldo
Robert Lewandowski
Kylian Mbappe
Neymar
Raheem Sterling
Kevin De Bruyne
Romelu Lukaku
Ciro Immobile
Phil Foden
Erling Haaland
Mason Mount
Serge Gnabry
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