The fullist of Ballon d’Or 2022 Nominees has been released, and for the first time in 17 years, seven times Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi didn’t make the nomination list. His PSG teammates, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, fondly known as Neymar, didn’t make the list.

 

On the hand, Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandoski, together with Liverpool / Egyptian striker, Mohamed Salah, with FC Bayern Munich and African Best Male Player of the Year, Sadio Mané, all made the list. However, social media opinions and votes are already pointing Real Madrid and France striker, Karim Benzema, as the player with most odds in favour for emerging the winner.

 

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo is on the list after scoring 18 goals in 31 matches for Manchester United last season, but Benzema’s 44 goals which powered Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid side to La Liga and Champions League triumph last season, seems to me most achieving points, in addition to the fact that Ronaldo finished the season without a trophy.

 

See full list of Ballon d’Or 2022 Nominees  and their clubs below…

Thibaut Courtois (Real Madird)

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Rafael Leao (AC Milan)

Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)

Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)

Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)

Luis Diaz (Liverpool)

Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)

Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)

Casemiro (Real Madrid)

Heung-Min Son (Tottenham)

Fabinho (Liverpool)

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

Mike Maignan (AC Milan)

Harry Kane (Tottenham)

Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)

Phil Foden (Manchester City)

Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich)

Sebastien Haller (Borussia Dortmund)

Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)

Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Joao Cancelo (Manchester City)

Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

 

 

Following Real Madrid’s Super Cup win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday night, Benzema suggested he was able to take his game to another level after Cristiano Ronaldo left the Liga club.