8. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid and Brazil)
Although the disappointment for Vinicius Junior and his fans was beyond imaginable in the award race last year, he hasn’t been able to channel all that energy in the right direction. So far his record has looked average at best. 20 goals and eight assists for club and country is not a record that can win you the Ballon d’Or on any planet.
But all is not lost for this year’s runner-up. Vini usually dazzles in the business end of competitions when stakes are high. His performances last season were crucial for Madrid’s success and he still has a fair shot at influencing the season. Although the skied penalty against Atletico did have its consequences, his teammates did bail him out, giving him the perfect stage to produce his best football at the business end of the season.
7. Robert Lewandowski (FC Barcelona and Poland)
A robbery victim from 2020 when the award was canceled due to COVID, Lewandowski fired 55 goals for Bayern to win them a treble. There’s probably no player more deserving than the Polish of a Ballon d’Or. At the age of 36, he remains one of Europe’s most reliable goal-scorer who leads the charts in LaLiga with 21 goals.
Although he didn’t score or assist in the Round of 16 tie against Benfica, Lewandowski would be aware of his chances to score decisive goals for his club in the remainder of the season. As of now, the talismanic striker is scoring goals right, left, and center for Hansi Flick’s men. Much like Pedri, even Lewa could be rivaled by some of his own teammates in the race.
6. Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona and Spain)
Lamine Yamal is a gift that keeps on giving, that too at the age of 17. If Barcelona have been the team to beat this season, a major chunk of the credit must go to this young man. Simply put, Lamine has been phenomenal. He has popped up with assists, goals, decisive plays, tackles, key passes as and when needed. At this point, his ascent has been one of the most astonishing stories in football.
There were serious questions about Barcelona’s ability to tackle a Galactico-studded Real Madrid at the beginning of the season. Guess what, they didn’t have to buy a player to solve their problems, they simply had to promote a La Masia graduate. A mere look at Yamal’s assist for Raphinha against Benfica in the Champions League and his even better finish is enough to assess his quality.