PSG forward Lionel Messi has revealed his four main candidates for the 2021 Ballon d’Or award, with the Argentine player naming two teammates.
On Friday Messi, along with a number of world-class talents, was confirmed among the 30-man France Football shortlist for the prize.
The 34-year-old is vying to win the award for the seventh time in his career after producing another remarkable goalscoring campaign in a poor Barcelona team in his final season
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On the international stage, Messi captained Argentina to a long-awaited Copa America victory in the summer, he won both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot awards.
But the former Barcelona player is aware of the strong competition he faces this year, picking out Neymar and Mbappe as contenders, as well as Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema.
“In my team, there are two for whom I will easily vote: Neymar and Kylian Mbappé,” Messi told France Football. “And then Robert Lewandowski, who has just had a great year and Karim Benzema who was excellent.”
Football journalists, coaches and captains of national teams all have a say in the final outcome – with this year’s winner set to be announced 29 November at Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet.
For the first time since it started, the Ballon d’Or was not awarded in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and many felt Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski was robbed.
The Polish international has continued in the superb form, however, and has scored 50 goals in 2021 so far. Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, is one of 14 Premier League stars on the shortlist.
Five players of Italy’s Euro 2020 heroes are in contention, which includes Chelsea midfielder Jorginho, who won the Champions League and Euros just months apart this year.
