Ballon d'Or 2022 Power Rankings: Who will join Benzema on the podium?

In 2021-22: 29 goals, 12 assists. Won Premier League.

Though he finished the season as Man City's top scorer in all competitions, Mahrez's form steadily slipped during the final months of the season, and some of his missed chances could have proven costly.

He was, however, rewarded with a new contract over the summer and should earn a handful of votes.

In 2021-22: 14 goals, 14 assists. Won Serie A.

Dubbed 'the new Thierry Henry' in Italy, Leao was voted Serie A's MVP of the season after firing AC Milan to their first Scudetto in 11 years.

The Portugal forward should, therefore, get a handful of Ballon d'Or votes from regular watchers of the Italian top flight.

In 2021-22: 30 goals, 10 assists.

Though he was forced to share the Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah, Son's achievement in finishing as the Premier League's joint-top scorer without netting a penalty should not be underestimated.

His struggles in the early weeks of the current campaign might go against him a little bit, but he still should be a deserved top-20 finisher.

In 2021-22: Four goals, two assists, 32 clean sheets. Won FA Cup & Carabao Cup.

Van Dijk returned to the Liverpool line up after missing almost the entire previous campaign and was back to his imperious best almost instantly.

He might now being questioned as to whether he is still the finest centre-back currently playing the game, but at least the World Cup in November will finally see him grace a major international tournament stage.

In 2021-22: Two goals, five assists. Won FA Cup & Carabao Cup.

Though bad injury luck saw him miss the Carabao Cup final and struggle in the Champions League final, Thiago was a joy to watch when he was fully fit through 2021-22.

His performance against Manchester United at Anfield was arguably the finest by a midfielder in the Premier League last term.

In 2021-22: Two goals, 22 assists, 24 clean sheets. Won FA Cup & Carabao Cup.

Questions may remain over his defensive capabilities, but going forward, there is no more dangerous full-back than Alexander-Arnold.

The Liverpool star's passing range puts some central midfielders to shame, and he could well break countless Premier League assist records by the time his career is over.

In 2021-22: 23 goals, 10 assists. Won FA Cup & Carabao Cup.

An absolute revelation after joining Liverpool in the January transfer window, Diaz came up big for the Reds on a number of occasions during their quadruple quest.

Factor in his performances for Porto in the first half of the season, and he has a shot at a top-10 finish in the Ballon d'Or standings.

In 2021-22: 35 goals, 22 assists. Won DFB-Pokal.

The Bundesliga Player of the Season and a goalscorer in RB Leipzig's DFB-Pokal final triumph, Nkunku had an individual season that could stand up to almost any other player's on the planet.

It remains to be seen, though, whether he will get the credit he deserves from Ballon d'Or voters given his lack of name recognition.

In 2021-22: 13 goals, 13 assists. Won Premier League.

Bernardo's role in the Premier League's final-day drama will forever be remembered, as he was the player replaced by Man City's hero Ilkay Gundogan in the second half.

That should not detract, however, from the Portugal international's superb individual season, and it's no wonder Barcelona were pushing so hard to sign him over the summer.

In 2021-22: 14 goals, 15 assists. Won Premier League.

With four Premier League titles before his 22nd birthday, Foden is well on his way to becoming one of the most decorated English footballers of all time after helping Man City to another piece of domestic silverware.

A winger with the potential to become one of the best midfielders of his generation, the sky is truly the limit for Foden now.

In 2021-22: 42 goals, 10 assists.

Haaland's injury issues and lack of knockout European football looked set to play against him when it came to Ballon d'Or voting, but after his hot start to the current campaign, he could be the biggest beneficiary of 'the recency bias bump'.

Every year, a player flies up the rankings due to the performances they have been producing in the weeks leading up to the Ballon d'Or ceremony, with some of the voters having pretty short memories when it comes to turning in their ballots.

With that in mind, it would not be a shock to see Haaland pushing for a top-10 finish.

In 2021-22: 23 clean sheets. Won Champions League, La Liga & Supercopa de Espana.

Courtois' Man-of-the-Match winning display in the Champions League final only moved to cement his status as the best goalkeeper in the world over the past 12 months.

His saves from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were stunning, and after making key interventions throughout Madrid's run to the trophy, there are few players who deserved to lift the European Cup more than the Belgium No.1.

In 2021-22: 21 goals, 18 assists. Won Premier League.

The Premier League Player of the Season, De Bruyne came up clutch time and time again for Man City down the stretch, scoring and creating crucial goals in the final months of the campaign.

In 2021-22: Seven goals, 14 assists. Won Champions League, La Liga & Supercopa de Espana.

Modric put in a number of virtuoso performances over the course of the campaign, with the Croatian star showing no signs of slowing down at the age of 36.

The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner is unlikely to triumph again in 2022, but a place among the top 10 is surely a foregone conclusion.

In 2021-22: 22 goals, 19 assists. Won Champions League, La Liga & Supercopa de Espana.

The Champions League final match-winner, Vinicius capped his breakout campaign with the biggest goal of the European club season to secure Real Madrid's 14th European Cup.

With Brazil one of the favourites for the upcoming World Cup, who is to say that the forward won't be right in the Ballon d'Or mix in 2023 either?

In 2021-22: 49 goals, 31 assists. Won Ligue 1 & UEFA Nations League.

Can Mbappe win the Ballon d'Or by staying in Ligue 1?

The answer is yes, but he will need PSG to raise their game in the Champions League, and perhaps win another World Cup in Qatar, if he is to take the crown in 2023.

In 2021-22: 57 goals, 12 assists. Won Bundesliga & DFL-Supercup.

Another 50+ goal season for Lewandowski in what proved to be his last in a Bayern Munich shirt.

Barcelona are already benefiting from him replicating that form in Spain, and there is time left for him to finally get his hands on the Ballon d'Or he should have been awarded in 2020.

In 2021-22: 33 goals, 19 assists. Won FA Cup & Carabao Cup.

Salah was the best player on the planet during the first half of the 2021-22 season, and a place on the podium should be his if the judges' memories are long enough.

Though he suffered disappointment both at club and international level through the second half of the campaign, he continued to produce, winning the Premier League Golden Boot among other honours.

In 2021-22: 33 goals, five assists. Won Africa Cup of Nations, FA Cup & Carabao Cup.

An African player has not won the Ballon d'Or since George Weah in 1995, and though that wait is likely to go on, Mane could have done little more to state his case.

A trophy winner for both club and country, he was Liverpool's go-to man through the second half of the season as they chased down an unprecedented quadruple.

In 2021-22: 48 goals, 15 assists. Won Champions League, La Liga, UEFA Nations League & Supercopa de Espana.

In terms of consistency through the season, the number of top-level performances, standing up in the biggest moments possible and final trophy haul, Benzema ticks every box needed to win a Ballon d'Or.

There was not a player who even came close to the Real Madrid striker in terms of impact on the 2021-22 European season, and he will rightfully lift the Golden Ball on Monday.

Anyone who does not vote for him better have a good reason why!