The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious non-public prize in world football and is awarded at the end of the qualifying year. Currently, a centrepiece of France Football, some of the most decorated names in world football have received the Ballon d’Or over the years, which adds to the end of the prize.
Due to unprecedented cases related to coronavirus, the 2020 Ballon d’Or was officially suspended last month. While all football activities were suspended in Europe during the 4 most productive months and then resumed, several leagues across the continent ended prematurely due to the pandemic.
However, the Golden Ball has retained its charm over the years and is the pinnacle of non-public distinctions in world football. In 2019, Lionel Messi was the first player in history to win the award for the sixth time, prompting Virgil van Dijk and his rival Cristiano Ronaldo to the award.
Messi and Ronaldo have won 11 Gold Balls among them and showed no signs of slowdown despite the twilight of their respective races.
However, in recent years, several young players have also made their mark and seem to be in a position to claim the prize. While hopefully how a player’s career like this will unfold, here are five superstars who seem to be able to get their hands on the Ballon d’Or at some point in the future.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland has enjoyed an immediate rise to the most sensible level over the past 12 months. After making a call for himself in Molde with current Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Haaland joined Red Bull Salzburg in January 2019 to continue his development.
The imposing striker broke into the Austrian Bundesliga and also made his appearance in the Champions League felt, speaking out with a very good hat-trick against Belgian Genk.
Haaland is a hard finisher and has the strange ability to execute defenses to position himself in goal positions, while being incredibly fast for a player of his stature.
The 20-year-old, coveted by some of the world’s biggest clubs, decided to move to Borussia Dortmund in January 2019, where he continued to score goals at an astonishing pace. Haaland is one of the most feared snipers in Europe and may be a long-term Ballon d’Or winner if he continues to play like this.
Another Borussia Dortmund player on the list, Jadon Sancho is one of the top young players in world football. The Englishman is able to score goals and create them from wide spaces and has dazzled fans with his deception of the ball since ingping to the level at the age of 17.
Sancho traded Manchester City for Dortmund in 2017 to have normal playing time to his credit and that is to say that the resolution has already paid off. The 20-year-old has held a series of eye-catching exhibitions in the Bundesliga and is one of the most sought-after players in world football.
Manchester United would be willing to break the British movement record and give him the number 7 shirt to check it out and move it to Old Trafford this summer. In addition, the young man also has fervent admirers in Real Madrid and Liverpool, as he continues to attract attention throughout the continent.
Sancho has the entire team to win the Long-Term Ballon d’Or and his hopes can be strengthened if he achieves a primary move in the coming years.
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