Ballon d'Or odds: Lionel Messi favourite to win award for a record extending seventh time

The PSG star and Barcelona legend, who is 8/15 with Sky Bet, picked up a first major international title when he helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa America while he also scored a total of 44 goals in 60 games during the season, including 38 in 47 at club level.

Messi has won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019 while his nearest challenger in the award's history - Cristiano Ronaldo - picked it up five times in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017.

The Manchester United forward is also in the shortlist having secured his first major finals Golden Boot at Euro 2020, where he scored five of his total of 46 in 59 games during the season (36 in 44 for Juventus), before becoming the all-time leading international goalscorer in Portugal's dramatic victory over Republic of Ireland.

However, at 16/1 it appears unlikely he'll win the award for a sixth time.

Ballon d'Or (odds via Sky Bet)

• Lionel Messi - 8/15
• Robert Lewandowski - 9/2
• Jorginho - 6/1
• Kevin De Bruyne - 12/1
• N'Golo Kante - 12/1
• Cristiano Ronaldo - 16/1
• Harry Kane - 16/1

Messi's closest challenger in the betting is Robert Lewandowski at 9/2 after he won the 2020-21 European Golden Shoe, having scored 41 Bundesliga goals as Bayern Munich won the German league title last season.

He missed out on the 2020 award, with the 33-year-old widely expected to claim the individual award before it was cancelled by organisers.

Jorginho is next in the running at 6/1 as he played a key role in Chelsea winning the Champions League last season before victory at Euro 2020 with Italy in the summer.

Chelsea team-mate N'Golo Kante is a 12/1 chance having been named UEFA's Player of the Match in both semi-final legs against Real Madrid, as well as the final against Manchester City, who are represented by five players including 12/1 shot Kevin de Bruyne.

There are five Chelsea players on the list of nominees in total, including captain Cesar Azpilicueta, along with five from Premier League champions Manchester City.

Harry Kane is also among the 13 Premier League players nominated with England team-mates Phil Foden, Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling also included - but the Tottenham striker is an outsider for glory at 16/1.

Bruno Fernandes is the other nominated United player while Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah is also included.

Other notable inclusions are Euro 2020 winners Nicolo Barella, Leonardo Bonucci, Giorgio Chiellini and Gianluigi Donnarumma while Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland also features.

Luka Modric, the only player other than Messi or Ronaldo to have won the award since 2008 after his 2018 success, is also included.

England’s Ellen White and Fran Kirby, of Manchester City and Chelsea respectively, are among 20 nominees for the women’s prize.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony, which did not take place last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, is in Paris on November 29.

Nominees

• Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
• Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
• Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
• Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus)
• Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
• Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
• Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
• Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
• Phil Foden (Manchester City)
• Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
• Jorginho (Chelsea)
• Harry Kane (Tottenham)
• N'Golo Kante (Chelsea)
• Simon Kjaer (AC Milan)
• Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
• Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea)
• Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
• Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
• Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
• Gerard Moreno (Villarreal)
• Mason Mount (Chelsea)
• Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Pedri (Barcelona)
• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
• Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
• Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid)