Where does Karim Benzema rank among the 2022 Ballon d’Or contenders?
By Parshva Shah
8. Vinícius Júnior (LW, Real Madrid)
Scoring just 15 goals in his previous three seasons combined, Vinícius Júnior has well and truly delivered on his hype when he was first signed from Brazilian club Flamengo by scoring 17 goals this season alone. He is among the best players of the world at the moment.
In all likelihood, he will breach the 20-goal mark. But it’s not just goals that make Vini Jr. a part of this list. He also has 15 assists to his name. He has been extremely consistent, and leads the Champions League stats in multiple departments.
He has been the perfect foil to Karim Benzema. Their strike partnership has been pivotal for Real Madrid this season, and Madridistas can only hope that Vini Jr. keeps on delivering in big games just like he has in almost all big games this season.
7. Riyad Mahrez (RW, Manchester City)
Riyad Mahrez is enjoying one of his best seasons yet, if not the best. But I believe this might very well be his best season yet. He is Manchester City’s top scorer with 22 goals, and have seven assists to complement those goalscoring numbers.
What’s more impressive is the rate at which he is contributing a goal or an assist. Having played 2,376 minutes, he has registered a goal or an assist every 82 minutes. That means he is directly contributing to a goal roughly every game.
Pep Guardiola has utilised Riyad Mahrez very smartly in rotation with the other attacking options at his disposal, and the efficiency of the Algerian is there for everyone to see. He has started in all but one Champions League game and is the top scorer for Citizens in the competition. Mahrez’s role will be super crucial if Manchester City are to clinch their maiden UEFA Champions League trophy.