Mohamed Salah has received a nomination for the 2021 Ballon d’Or award.
Liverpool’s Egyptian was revealed as a nominee on Friday as part of the 30-man shortlist for the prestigious individual accolade.
Salah, who was also shortlisted for the prize in 2018 and 2019, scored a team-high 31 goals for Jürgen Klopp’s Reds in all competitions during the 2020-21 campaign.
His goalscoring form has continued this season, netting his 100th Premier League goal and claiming the 10th spot in Liverpool’s all-time scorers list.
The winner of the Ballon d’Or will be revealed at a ceremony in Paris on November 29.
Below is a breakdown of the finalists, together with their club affiliation and national team. The last time these awards were handed out was 2019, as France Football scratched the 2020 honors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
How are the FIFA Ballon d’Or nominees selected?
According to France Football, a panel of 180 journalists from around the world determined the 30 candidates for the men’s Ballon d’Or.
When is the 2021 Ballon d’Or winner announced?
Now that the lists are out, the voting process begins.
A selection of international journalists, national team coaches, and captains will be polled to determine the winners, with each voter being asked to pick out their top five.
Once that process has been completed, the prestigious prizes will be handed out at a glitzy ceremony in Paris on November 29.
2021 FIFA Ballon d’Or Finalists (Men)
There are a total of 30 finalists with many of the big names you’d expect to see there. In recent months there has been a campaign for Chelsea midfielders Jorginho and N’Golo Kante to win the award given the role they played in Chelsea winning the UEFA Champions League. Jorginho was also a cog in the Italy team that won Euro 2021.
Messi was the last player to win this award in 2019 for a record sixth time. Messi and his eternal rival Ronaldo have shared 11 of the last 12 Ballons d’Or between them, with Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric the only man to have broken their duopoly in 2018.
Name | Position | Club | National Team |
Cesar Azpilicueta | DF | Chelsea | Spain |
Nicolo Barella | MF | Inter Milan | Italy |
Karim Benzema | FW | Real Madrid | France |
Leonardo Bonucci | DF | Juventus | Italy |
Giorgio Chiellini | DF | Juventus | Italy |
Kevin De Bruyne | MF | Manchester City | Belgium |
Ruben Dias | DF | Manchester City | Portugal |
Gianluigi Donnarumma | GK | PSG | Italy |
Bruno Fernandes | MF | Manchester United | Portugal |
Phil Foden | FW | Manchester City | England |
Erling Haaland | FW | Borussia Dortmund | Norway |
Jorginho | MF | Chelsea | Italy |
Harry Kane | FW | Tottenham Hotspur | England |
N’Golo Kante | MF | Chelsea | France |
Simon Kjaer | DF | AC Milan | Denmark |
Robert Lewandowski | FW | Bayern Munich | Germany |
Romelu Lukaku | FW | Chelsea | Belgium |
Riyad Mahrez | FW | Manchester City | Algeria |
Lautaro Martinez | FW | Inter Milan | Argentina |
Kylian Mbappe | FW | PSG | France |
Lionel Messi | FW | PSG | Argentina |
Luka Modric | MF | Real Madrid | Croatia |
Gerard Moreno | FW | Villarreal | Spain |
Mason Mount | MF | Chelsea | England |
Neymar | FW | PSG | Brazil |
Pedri | MF | FC Barcelona | Spain |
Cristiano Ronaldo | FW | Manchester United | Portugal |
Mohamed Salah | FW | Liverpool | Egypt |
Raheem Sterling | FW | Manchester City | England |
Luis Suarez | FW | Atletico Madrid | Uruguay |