The Golden Ball criteria have changed! Who has the best chance of winning it at the moment?

The Ballon d’Or is football’s most prestigious award, but it has also been extremely criticised and controversial in recent years for some of its decisions. Therefore, the criteria by which the Ballon D’or will be awarded have changed.

The main change is that the Ballon d’Or will now be awarded per season, not per calendar year. At the same time, individual performances will be given more preference over team trophies, which is what got Jorginho into the Top 3 last year. If he hadn’t won the Champions League and EURO, would anyone have even thought about putting him in the Top 10? More likely no.

Also, the number of journalists and countries that vote has been reduced, as it has been found that in smaller countries journalists often vote according to very specific criteria. Like when Grigoriy Rtveladz from Uzbekistan didn’t even include Lewandowski in the Top 5, and posted Polák’s FIFA rating on instagram as the reason, and that he supposedly wasn’t fast enough and didn’t make enough tackles.

Thus, the current ranking includes performances from the start of the 2021/22 season, roughly from August, and the ranking will end at the end of the season.

Goal has thus prepared a Top 5 who have performed the best at the end of March and thus have the best chance of winning the Ballon d’Or.

5. Luka Modric

For the season 21/22 – 6 goals, 9 assists, won the Spanish Super Cup

Modric is dragging Real Madrid, with whom he has a 12-point lead in the league and has reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League. He has maintained a high standard all season, with virtually no weak moment. His performances in the rest of the season, especially in the Champions League, will decide if he stays in the Top 5.

4. Kylian Mbappé

For the season 21/22 – 37 goals, 25 assists, won the Nations League

The fact that he will not feature in the final stage of the Champions League weighs against his better positioning. But Mbappé is doing everything he can to make the Top 3 despite that. He is undoubtedly PSG’s best player and driving force, his performances completely overshadowing Messi and Neymar. He is in the form of his life.

3. Mohamed Salah

For the season 21/22 – 30 goals, 14 assists, won the Carabao Cup

While Salan has had two major disappointments at national level, he shines at Liverpool. Moreover, he will face Benfica in the Champions League quarter-finals and has a great chance to take his team to the semi-finals.

2. Karim Benzema

For the 21/22 season – 37 goals, 13 assists, won the Nations League and the Spanish Super Cup

Benzema has been absolutely unstoppable this season. He’s having the season of his life, scoring the most goals of his career in a single season and it’s far from over. He’s literally carrying Real Madrid on his shoulders in the league and Champions League, where he knocked out PSG with a hat-trick. He has virtually only one opponent ahead of him.

1. Robert Lewandowski

21/22 season – 51 goals, 8 assists, won the German Super Cup

According to many, Lewandowski was “robbed” last season and the Ballon d’Or should have gone to him instead of Messi. It was the second time the award was not given for 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Bayern canon shouldn’t miss it a third time, as he has already scored 51 goals at the beginning of April. His only threat so far is Benzema, who could leapfrog him if he succeeds in the Champions League.

Source: Goal