Ballon d'Or odds: Who is the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or 2021?

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

Ah, yes. Who is the best player in the world? It’s the age-old debate that’s been sparked into life by Mohamed Salah’s stunning form of late. With the Ballon d’Or announcement just around the corner, the chatter will be put to bed for the time being at least.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have traded the Ballon d’Or since 2008 bar the weird year when Luka Modric scooped the prize. But as Father Time catches up with the deadly duo, a crop of candidates are threatening to come out on top this year.

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The Ballon d’Or 2021 Winner will be announced on Monday, November 29 at a star-studded event in Paris – and Paddy’s traders have been busy pricing up the betting market ahead of next month’s big bash. We’ve taken a look through the odds to bring you the leading contenders to take home the glitzy gong.

It was far from the greatest year for Lionel Messi at club level as his 38 goals in 52 appearance was only enough to lift the Copa del Rey as Barcelona finished third in La Liga. His departure to PSG made headlines over the summer but it was Messi’s exploits at international level that have him as the odds-on favourite as Argentina got their hands on the Copa America.

Robert Lewandowski was cruelly denied Ballon d’Or glory when last year’s ceremony was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The prolific Polish poacher nabbed 48 goals in 40 games last term as Bayern Munich topped the Bundesliga once again. He’s carried on in a similar vein this season with 17 goals already…

Jorginho may not be a superstar of the game but the Chelsea and Italy midfielder lifted the Champions League and European Championship so you have to say fair play to the lad. A crucial cog for Thomas Tuchel and Roberto Mancini, Jorginho was handed the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year trophy earlier this year.

He beat Chelsea team-mate N’Golo Kante to that prize but the Frenchman is rightly hailed as one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet thanks to his consistency in the engine room. A key figure in the Blues’ Champions League triumph, Kante has been backed in the Ballon d’Or race by Stamford Bridge legend John Terry.

Liverpool hotshot Mohamed Salah is making a late charge for the title. Sunday’s hat-trick at Manchester United made it 15 goals in 12 appearances this season for the Egyptian. The Reds’ lack of trophies last term probably counts Salah out but if he keeps up his current form then he could feasibly find himself heading the betting for the Ballon d’Or 2022.