Ever since its inception in 1956, the Ballon d’Or has been the most coveted individual award in all of football.
Although a team sport, individuals have always dominated the sport and the big, gold award has often been used as a way of gauging which player is the very best in the world at any given time.
And with just hours before we’re let in on who’s won the 2021 Ballon d’Or, bookmakers have confirmed it’s very much a two-horse race as Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski are going head to head. Messi is currently attracting 47% of all bets, although Lewi isn’t far behind at 38% of bets; the numbers speak for themselves and the fact that there are only two players fighting for the gong.
Earlier today, odds were slashed on PSG forward Lionel Messi scooping the gong, from 7/4 earlier this month to as short as 1/2, which makes the Argentine the odds-on favourite to win yet another Ballon d’Or of his very impressive career ahead of the ceremony tonight.
Messi holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or awards of all time, with six to the Argentinian’s name, with Ronaldo close behind with five.
However, for once, the Portuguese isn’t currently among the favourites for this year’s award but that is set to be temporary as most likely, Rolando being Ronaldo will be back at the top of the table next year.
Meanwhile, the former market favourite Lewandowski has seen his odds lengthened slightly over the last few weeks, punters are still very much backing the Polish hitman as the Bayern Munich man finds himself at 5/2 with 888Sports, but as short as 5/4 with a number of other bookies.
Behind Lewandowski is Liverpool’s Mo Salah with odds of 25/1 followed by Karim Benzema and Jorginho who are also tipped to get their hands on European football’s most famous golden orb at 33/1.
Next up in the betting are players from Italy’s glorious Euro 2020 win feature prominently, with Gianluigi Donnarumma (80/1) and Giorgio Chiellini (100/1).
A Manchester City duo of Ruben Dias (150/1) and Phil Foden (150/1) are next up followed by Simon Kjaer (150/1) and Cristiano Ronaldo (150/1). Ronaldo’s odds of 150/1 marks his longest ever Ballon do’r odds.
- Lionel Messi – 1/2
- Robert Lewandowski – 5/2
- Mo Salah – 25/1
- Jorginho – 33/1
- Karim Benzema – 33/1
- Gianluigi Donnarumma – 80/1
- Giorgio Chiellini – 100/1
