With its three candidates in the list of thirty nominated for the 2021 Ballon d’Or, France has a set of aces: Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappé and N’Golo Kanté. And even though the first two have been showing resplendent form for several weeks, one can wonder about their real chances of lifting the most prestigious of individual football trophies. While the votes were stopped several weeks ago, and the winner will be unveiled Monday, November 29, overview of the French chances for the Ballon d’Or.
Karim Benzema, main contender
We do not yet know if he will be able to release the champagne at the end of the ceremony, but there is no doubt that Karim Benzema has just signed his best vintage. At 33, the Real Madrid striker is coming out of an exceptional year in more than one way with 43 goals. Once again voted best player in La Liga (and top scorer with 23 goals), he allowed Real Madrid to defend their title until the end of the season, even if Atlético’s neighbors finally seized it. Scorer in all of Real’s big games, he even allowed the club to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. And its 2021-2022 season has started on an even crazier basis.
Above all, Karim Benzema has signed his return to the French team, five and a half years after his last selection. Put in the cellar since the sextape affair (for which he has just been sentenced, but without effect on the ballot of the golden ball which was already closed), KB9 ended the year 2021 co-top scorer of the Blues with Griezmann (9 goals). Above all, after a period of refining necessary for his return, he scored in each key match (doubled against Portugal and against Switzerland at the Euro, against Belgium in the Nations League…). Enough to become the 5th top scorer in the history of the Blues with 36 goals. A harvest of goals, a status of executive at Real and Blues, and even a trophy with the League of Nations: of the three Blues in the running, Karim Benzema is the one who has the most bottles and who can dream of the most beautiful of individual awards.
Kylian Mbappé, young man in a hurry
Since his hatching in Monaco in 2017, the football world has known that Kylian Mbappé will one day be crowned Ballon d’Or. The question that remains is when will this happen? Maybe in 2021. Maybe not. Because if he is resplendent in this fall 2021, Kylian Mbappé was less so during the Euro. In addition to his failed decisive penalty against Switzerland, and despite the many differences created with the ball to the foot, we thus retain his silence in the face of goal in the competition. However, in a race for the Golden Ball always more linked to statistics, this can weigh against the French.
At 22, Kylian Mbappé even comes out of his first white season in terms of trophy, outside of the Coupe de France. This did not prevent him from stacking up goals, even if his abortive departure from Real Madrid this summer slowed him down somewhat at the start of the year. With 35 goals in 51 games last season, Mbappé is obviously coming out of a successful year, but that should not be enough to offer him his first Ballon d’Or. Patience.
N’Golo Kanté, discreet hero
Mascot of the coronation of the Blues in 2018, he became the hero of the triumph of the Blues in 2021. Winner of the Champions League with Chelsea, N’Golo Kanté was the great architect of this unexpected coronation, being in particular crowned man of the match of two semi-finals against Real Madrid, as well as the final against Manchester City. A rebirth for the former Caen after a complicated season, marked by his contamination with Covid-19.
10 – N’Golo Kanté recovered 10 balls tonight, more than any other player in this final. He totaled 47 balls recovered in the knockout phase of the 2020/21 Champions League, only Ilkay Gündogan (51) does better. ManOfMatch. #MCICHE pic.twitter.com/RKxbZlyxnV
– OptaJean (@OptaJean) May 29, 2021
Problem: N’Golo Kanté could lose votes in favor of Jorginho, his teammate at Chelsea, and especially Euro winner with Italy. And this even if the Frenchman has strong support, like Ruud Gullit: “Players who score goals always steal the show. It would be nice if for once someone who is not in the limelight could win. Someone like Kanté played so well, he deserves it too “, explained the Dutchman to beIN Sports. It would be beautiful, yes …