Five Chelsea players are included in the 2021 Ballon d’Or list whilst Tottenham’s Harry Kane has also been nominated
Harry Kane has been nominated for the 2021 Ballon d’Or and the Spurs striker is joined by footballing icons Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, with the latter the Bookmakers’ favorite for the award.
Last season, Messi carried his former club Barcelona on his back before ending a 21-year association with the Blaugrana by joining Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
For his competitor Ronaldo, he bagged 36 goals and four assists for Juventus last term. And just like Messi, CR7 re-joined Manchester United in the transfer window.
As for Kane, he notched 33 goals and 17 assists across all competitions last season. However, the England captain has endured a slow start to the current campaign, failing to score a single Premier League goal in six appearances.
Meanwhile, reigning European champions Chelsea have had five players nominated in the form of Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Romelu Lukaku and Cesar Azpilicueta.
No Arsenal players were nominated after Mikel Arteta’s men endured a difficult year, finishing eighth in the Premier League. Club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s inclusion in 2019 was the last time the Gunners had a player on the 30-man list.
However, Hale End graduate Bukayo Saka was one of the ten youngsters nominated for the Kopa Trophy alongside the likes of Mason Greenwood and Pedri.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was named one of the best ten shot-stoppers, with Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy joining him on the list of nominees for the Yachine Trophy.
Ballon d’Or list: Cesar Azpilicueta, Nicolo Barella, Karim Benzema, Leonard Bonucci, Kevin De Bruyne, Giorgio Chiellini, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ruben Dias, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Bruno Fernandes, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Simon Kjaer, Robert Lewandowski, Romelu Lukaku, Riyad Mahrez, Lautaro Martinez, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Luka Modric, Gerard Moreno, Mason Mount, Neymar, Pedri, Mohamed Salah, Raheem Sterling, Luis Suarez.
Kopa Trophy list: Bukayo Saka, Jeremy Doku, Mason Greenwood, Pedri, Ryan Gravenberch, Florian Wirtz, Giovanni Reyna, Jamal Musiala, Jude Bellingham, Nuno Mendes.
Yachine Trophy list: Keylor Navas, Emiliano Martinez, Manuel Neuer, Jan Oblak, Samir Handanovic, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ederson, Kasper Schmeichel, Edouard Mendy, Thibaut Courtois.