A round up of the 30 Ballon d’Or nominees achievements

The Ballon d’Or is back this year after being postponed last year due to disruption brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

France football who are the organizers of this most prestigious individual coveted award prize announced 30 nominees last week that will be voted by International journalists, captains and coaches from FIFA nations.

Among the shortlists is Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe and other household names, but which of the 30 nominees is most deserving?

We’ve put together a round-up of all of the players that could potentially be awarded France Football’s award – the most prestigious individual accolade in football. Here’s what they’ve all achieved in terms of trophies and honors since 2020.

For forwards, attacking midfielders and playmakers, we’ve included the total number of goals and assists since the beginning of last season.

Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)

1. Captain for the Champions League winners
2. UEFA Super Cup winner
3. Finished fourth in the Premier League
4. First runners up UEFA Nations League

Nicolo Barella [ Inter Milan]

1. Serie A winner
2. Euro 2020 winner
3. Four goals and 19 assists for Inter since the start of the 2020-21 season

Karim Benzema [Real Madrid]

Karim Benzema won Nations League title with France yesterday; Photo – Sky sports

1. Currently leads Europe’s major leagues for both goals and assists in 2021-22
2. 40 goals and 16 assists for Real Madrid since the start of the 2020-21 season. Five goals in 10 appearances for France.
3. UEFA Nations League winner

Leonardo Bonucci  [Juventus]

1. Euro 2020 winner
2. Man of the Match in the Euro 2020 final
3. Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament

Kevin de Bruyne [Man City]

1. Premier League & Carabao Cup winner
2. Champions League runner-up
3. 12 goals and 18 assists for Man City since the start of the 2020-21 season

Giorgio Chiellini [Juventus]

1. Captain for the Euro 2020 winners

Cristiano Ronaldo [Man United]

1. Coppa Italia winner
2. Euro 2020 Golden Boot winner
3. Top Scorer in Serie A in 2020-21 (29 goals)
4. 41 goals and 46 assists for Juventus and Manchester United since the start of 2020-21
5. Became the all-time international goalscorer. Nine goals in 10 appearances for Portugal in 2021

Ruben Dias [Man City]

1. Premier League & Carabao Cup winner
2. Champions League runner-up
3. Premier League Player of the Season
4. Champions League Defender of the Season

Gianluigi Donnarumma [PSG]

1. Euro 2020 winner
2. Player of the tournament at Euro 2020

Bruno Fernandes [Man United]

1.  Europa League runner-up
2. 32 goals and 20 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Phil Foden [Man City]

1. Premier League & Carabao Cup winner
2. Champions League runner-up
3. Euro 2020 runner-up
4. 18 goals and 12 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Erling Haaland [Borrusia Dortmund]

1. DFB Pokal winner
2. 54 goals and 16 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season
3. Champions League Forward of the Season

Jorginho [Chelsea]

1. Euro 2020 winner
2. Champions League winner
3. UEFA Super Cup winner
4. UEFA Men’s Player of the Year 2020-21
5. Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament

Harry Kane [Tottenham]

1. Euro 2020 runner-up
2. Premier League Golden Boot winner 2020-21 (also top assister)
3. 39 goals and 17 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

N’golo Kante [Chelsea]

1. Champions League winner
2. UEFA Super Cup winner
3. Champions League Midfielder of the Season
4. Man of the Match in the Champions League final
5. Nations League final to come

Simon Kjaer [AC Milan]

1. Denmark captain in run to Euro 2020 semi-final
2. Serie A runner-up with AC Milan

Robert Lewandowski [Bayern Munich]

1. Bundesliga winner
2. Bundesliga top scorer and European Golden Shoe winner 2020-21 (41 goals)
3. Broke Gerd Muller’s 49-year record for most goals in a Bundesliga season
4. 61 goals and nine assists since the start of the 2020-21 season
5. 31 league goals in 2021 – seven more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues
6. Treble winner with 55 goals during 2019-20 season (2020 Ballon d’Or cancelled)

Romelu Lukaku [Chelsea]

1. Serie A winner
2. Serie A Most Valuable Player 2020-21
3. Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament
4. 34 goals and 10 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Riyad Mahrez [Man City]

1. Premier League & Carabao Cup winner
2. Champions League runner-up
3. 18 goals and 11 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Lautaro Martinez [Inter Milan]

1. Serie A winner
2. Copa America winner
3. 24 goals and 11 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Kylian Mbappe [PSG]

Kylian Mbappe; photo/courtesy

1. Coupe de France winner
2. Ligue 1 top scorer 2020-21 (27 goals)
3. 46 goals and 16 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season
4. UEFA Nations League winner

Lionel Messi [PSG]

1. Copa del Rey winner (Argentina captain)
2. Copa America winner
3. Top scorer and top assister at the Copa America
4. Copa America Player of the Tournament
5. La Liga top scorer (30 goals)
6. 40 goals and 14 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Luka Modric [Real Madrid]

1. Six goals and seven assists since the start of the 2020-21 season
2. Real Madrid Player of the Season 2020-21

Gerard Moreno [Villarreal]

1. Europa League winner
2. Europa League joint top scorer
3. Europa League joint top assister
4. 31 goals and 11 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Mason Mount [Chelsea]

1. Champions League winner
2. UEFA Super Cup winner
3. Euro 2020 runner-up
4. Nine goals and 10 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season
5. Chelsea Player of the Year

Neymar Jr. [PSG]

1. Coupe de France winner
2. Copa America runner-up
3. Copa America Team of the Tournament
4. 18 goals and 13 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Pedri (Barcelona)

1. Copa del Rey winner
2. Euro 2020 Team of the Tournament
3. Euro 2020 Young Player of the Tournament
4. Olympic Silver medallist
5. Four goals and seven assists since the start of the 2020-21 season
6. UEFA Nations League runner up

Mohamed Salah [Liverpool]

1.  40 goals and nine assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

1. Premier League & Carabao Cup winner
2. Champions League runner-up
3. Euro 2020 runner-up
4. Euro 2020 Team of the tournament
5. 15 goals and 13 assists since the start of the 2020-21 season

Luis Suarez [Atletico Madrid]

1.  La Liga winner
2. 26 goals and four assists since the start of the 2020-21 season