The Ballon d'Or 2022 countdown starts now, with new reforms announced – which might scupper Lionel Messi's plans of an eighth award.
Starting from 2022, the prestigious trophy will be awarded for the previous season, rather than a calendar year, with the ceremony moved back to the autumn. Just 100 journalists will get to vote in future – from FIFA's top-ranked century of nations – while the women's award will be voted for by a journalist from the top 50.
We're over halfway through the 2021/22 season – and the favourites list for the Ballon d'Or is already shaping up…
Who are the favourites for the Ballon d'Or?
1. Robert Lewandowski: 5/2
28 goals in his first 25 Bundesliga matches; 12 in his first eight Champions League games, including the fastest-ever hat-trick in a 7-1 rout of Red Bull Salzburg. By now, these numbers are routine for Robert Lewandowski.
2. Karim Benzema: 4/1
A second-half hat-trick against PSG confirmed that Karim Benzema is still a force of nature at 34. The fact he's scored or assisted in most Real Madrid games this season certainly helps his cause: he hit 20 goals and 10 assists in just his 24th game of the season against Real Sociedad.
3. Mohamed Salah: 5/1
The outstanding player in the Premier League this season, Mohamed Salah has gone from strength to strength.
Salah scored 16 goals in 21 Premier League games before going to the Africa Cup of Nations, where he finished as a runner-up, scoring vital goals for Egypt along the way. He's also notched eight goals in his first seven Champions League games – and with Liverpool expected to go far in Europe, that number can only increase.
4. Kylian Mbappe: 17/2
PSG's European exit has dented Kylian Mbappe's dreams of the golden ball and unfortunately, he'll only be trying his damnedest to drag France to another World Cup title after the Ballon d'Or has been awarded.
Mbappe at least has an ace up his sleeve, in that his Nations League final goal has already decided one 2021/22 trophy. Another, surely, will follow at PSG.
5. Lionel Messi: 14/1
Lionel Messi himself admitted in his acceptance speech that 2021 wasn't the best year of his career. 2022 may be an even trickier one for him.
A last-16 exit in the Champions League and just one league goal in 2022 up until that point certainly won't help his bid. There's no international tournament to salvage his bid this summer, either.
6. Kevin De Bruyne: 16/1
Kevin De Bruyne is coming into form at just the right time. After a slow first half of the season, the ginger genius has managed goals against Chelsea, Manchester United and Atletico Madrid: it's as if he's warming up for the crunch games in Europe and the title run-in.
While Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo have arguably been better than KDB, never underestimate the headline-maker to steal the plaudits. Manchester City are still in the hunt for three trophies – and should they win all three, it's likely that their talismanic Belgian takes the Ballon d'Or home for himself, too.
