Kinda of a curse for players such as him because unless you're the most standout player by far a national performance goes a long way to help you get that award and unfortunately for Lewandowski that just isn't possible with the state Poland are in.
Ballon d'or 2022 watch thread
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You seem to have it covered already with your ‘bar Salah’ and ‘bar Modric’ comments. Salah, Van Dijk could have won it, the clamour for Jorginho to win it would have been more then a clamour if he were a Real Madrid player like Modric is.
Van Dijk not winning in 2019 was mad to me
Seconded.
He was absolutely unreal. Looked like one of those FIFA defenders who have maxxed out all their attributes to 99.
The impact VVD had on Liverpool is on another level.
Lewandowski, Benzema, and Salah are going to be difficult to separate. If neither of the three wins the CL, I suspect that a premier league win for Liverpool would carry more weight under the second category than a Bundesliga and Liga would for Lewandowski and Benzema.
It's all to play for over the next 2 months.
Messi and Ronaldo are done winning. They'll finish with 7 and 5 wins. Neymar's window is pretty much closed because I don't see how he'll improve at this point and challenge the young guns (Mbappé and Haaland) who could take over the podium starting next year.
It's all to play for over the next 2 months.
Messi and Ronaldo are done winning. They'll finish with 7 and 5 wins. Neymar's window is pretty much closed because I don't see how he'll improve at this point and challenge the young guns (Mbappé and Haaland) who could take over the podium starting next year.
Looks like Benzema is getting ahead of the stake and my money would be on him right now. In a miserable case of Liverpool winning the Champions League and/or some domestic honours, I wouldn't be surprised to see Mane winning it - he's got AFCON and had a great season. Surely deserves some recognition that lad.
Benzema will be the favourite now because Bayern and Lewa are out of the CL, Salah has gone off the boil and Mane has had great moments without necessarily having a dominating season. I'm not sure there are any City players in serious contention this year.
The Champions League is probably still the most important competition in deciding this award and I believe the voting is completed before the World Cup this year so that tournament, which usually has a big say, will not be relevant this time around.
If Liverpool do win the quadruple (and that's a big 'if' because it's going to be very hard and is frankly unlikely) then that would help Mane and Salah, but you wonder if it might end up like Man United's treble year, when it was kind of viewed as a team effort and the vote was split between a few different top players (Becks came second that year IIRC).
A similar thing may happen with City if they win the league and CL double. Unless Salah gets his alien form back, he won't stand apart from Mane and his other teammates as the main Liverpool contender.
In those scenarios, Benz would still probably win it even if Real Madrid don't win the CL, especially since they've revealed this new criteria about 'individual performances' being the key factor.
Messi is still going to win it but for Benzema to have a better chance I think the team needs to make it to the final of UCL at the very least.
I think even if Benzema gets injured tomorrow, he wins it at this point unless Salah or Mane go nuclear in the CL.
It will likely be either Salah or DeBruyne depending on how the season finishes up. Mind you, Benzema may have a say in it too if Real Madrid can beat City. I just don't think they can...
Benzema deserves it. But sadly these things come down to the team you're a part of rather than individual displays.
Benzema wins this even if they don't win the CL
The CL is going to be key and he has been the standout player in the CL this season
Unless Salah destroys Villareal and City by himself
The CL is going to be key and he has been the standout player in the CL this season
Unless Salah destroys Villareal and City by himself
If Liverpool wins the CL, Salah.. If not, Benzema regardless of what Real does in the CL..
I think Salah has dropped form significantly since January
While I think he did enough to win PFA POTY this season, I don't think he has done enough pre January to win Balon dor
Salah has been a ghost since January. Heard his last open play goal was mid February 2 months ago
You are right, that's why I implied Benzema does not have to win the CL but Salah does to have a strong chance at the Ballon D'or.
Salah is still the goals/assist leader in the PL, couple of good games in the remaining PL games can strengthen the argument for him (also that Africa Cup final might give an extra edge in the end). My personal preference is Benzema.
I think Benzema is best player this season, followed by Lewandowski and Salah.
But Ballon D'or would probably go to best player from CL winner, so its either Salah or De Bruyne, if Liverpool or City wins it.
Its a shame Lewandowski is never going to win one. He is clearly the best over past 2-3 seasons period.
But Ballon D'or would probably go to best player from CL winner, so its either Salah or De Bruyne, if Liverpool or City wins it.
Its a shame Lewandowski is never going to win one. He is clearly the best over past 2-3 seasons period.
What if Messi/Ronaldo wins the WC?
Is that really very likely?
Irrelevant. WC performances won't be counted for this B' d or
Oh, okay. Benzema wins it then. That quarter final performance will tip it in his favor I reckon.
There is a chance Lewa manages some 'sympathy' votes due to last season's missing out though.
Dunno about portugal, but argentina are a fairly good team now. Have a chance with a bit of luck.
Salah has gone off the boil a bit since AFCON and with Bayern out of the CL it’s left a gaping hole for Benzema to grab. It helps that he’s (forgive me for my sins) coming up clutch in the CL for Real and they’re storming to the La Liga title too. If Pool win the quadruple and Salah pulls his finger out though…
I don't buy that, Salah has been on and off at times, Benzema's pretty much dragged this Madrid side to a potential (very likely) Liga title, this is an individual award, and Benzema's been the most impactful individual, especially in the big moments. I know this isn't an MVP award, but there's no doubt to me that Benzema is far more valuable to Madrid's good fortunes than Salah is to Liverpool's with this current season, and I think that has an impact too. This whole premier league is more valuable thing is for PL fans, no one outside of there buys into that, and I doubt the voters do either.
Exactly. It's utter nonsense. Besides, Benzema's CL performances alone should put him comfortably ahead of Salah in the BDOR race.
Mane will not win it, he's too low profile and African players never win it anyway.
Shh you can’t say that, there is no racism in football
If the voting was today Benzema would win.
Ahh yes, Weah must be white
Oh wow one player in history well done
Look at the last 20 years and tell me a player who should have won Balon d or over any of the guys who won it.
Ronaldo, Messi, Kaká , Ronaldinho, Figo etc
Maybe it has to do with gee I don’t know, footballing ability and body of work?
Salah
No in my view he has not won it because he is African. He should have won it in 2019/20 there is a lack of representation of african voting parties clearly this is why they have sought to add Drogba as a voting party in the reorg.
The lack of representation has led to unfair outcomes for African players (not only not winning it but not even being fairly ranked). This is the definition of institutional racism.
I don't buy it, in Salah's case, there isn't really a year where you could give it to him over Messi, CR7, or Lewandowski who has also gotten screwed big time.
I think there's definitely an under-representation of Africans in the process, but if it would have led to Salah winning, the process would have been flawed. He hasn't been cheated out of a Ballon d'Or at any year IMO.
There was no Balon d'or in 19-20 so we don't know if Salah lost out on the award due to race. If there had been a Balon d'or that year it should clearly have gone to Lewandowski though:
Lewandowski Games: 40. Goals: 45 including 15 in 10 games in CL. Assists: 16. League, CL and cup treble while scoring most goals in the world in 2020.
Salah Games: 45. Goals: 26. Assists: 10. Premier League.
Absolute rubbish. Messi really? Salah by the way won the league and UCL. He was clearly better than Messi, whilst CR7 was busy doing what in Seria A?
Lewandowski I agree should have won it the year after. Btw in 2021 Salah ranked 7th by Ballon D’Or 6th the season he won the UCL. The ranking is nonsense as he has been better than Messi for the past 3 seasons
Meaning the covid season?
The year that everyone pretty much agrees Lewa should have won?
I am going to have to disagree on the reason African players haven’t won Balon D or as much as European or South American players has to do with racism….
Their isn’t some sort of agenda on African players.
Eusébio who is from Mozambique also won it.
What's with the African under-representation claim? Who's not getting votes that should have been?
Salah, Mane, Auba and Mahrez have regularly been in the final 30, and there's a fair claim to say they haven't been fully justified at times, well mostly Auba. Kolulibaby was in the final 30 a few years back, yet Andrew Robertson was not...
Who is missing from the final 30 in the past 5 years that isn't making the cut? Out of pure curiosity here...
Salah, Mane, Auba and Mahrez have regularly been in the final 30, and there's a fair claim to say they haven't been fully justified at times, well mostly Auba. Kolulibaby was in the final 30 a few years back, yet Andrew Robertson was not...
Who is missing from the final 30 in the past 5 years that isn't making the cut? Out of pure curiosity here...
The year before I think it was. In anycass my post talks about the players ranking. He has clearly been better than 7th. In my opinion for the last Ballon D’or only Lewandoskwi should have been ranked higher
No the year before.
Eusebio is Portuguese.
The only African player to win it ha been Weah