Updated: Mar 22
The Ballon d’Or is arguably the most prestigious award a player can win in the game of football, and only the best of the best get the privilege to hoist the historical golden ball, but one player who looks destined for the award this year is Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah. But after their disappointing loss to PSG in the Champions League, dumping them out in their first knockout game, Salah’s chances at the award have been hit hard, but he could still have the best shot at winning the coveted prize.
It is common knowledge that Salah is arguably the best player in the Premier League, and could even be considered the best football player in the world, but after Liverpool's early UCL exit, the Egyptian mastermind has fallen to third in the bookmakers rankings for this years Ballon d’Or. Its is a recurring theme that the Ballon d’Or is often based on player achievements during the course of the year, but one factor which massively boost a players chances at winning the golden ball is winning the Champions League. But most argue against this. Sure winning the UCL is the biggest achievement for a player and their team, but individual brilliance over the course of the year should really be what's considered.
This season Salah has 32 goals in total across all competitions, and is on his way to yet another 30 goals season in the Premier League, but not only is his goal scoring form at its peak, but currently sitting at a total of 17 assist along with 27 goals in the Premier League, he could become the first player to score 20 goals and get 20 assists in a season since Thierry Henry in 2002/03 season. Despite not getting the chance at upping his Champions League goal tally this season, Salah is still on for a historic season, and has his sights set on both the Premier League and the League Cup, making this season one to remember.
With stats as unbelievable as that, and achievements nobody else has achieved, he is still not the favourite to win the Ballon d’Or, but his chances aren't over yet. Despite Kylian Mbappe being the bookmakers favourite to win the Ballon d’Or, Salah's season of brilliance cannot, and should not be overlooked by the voters. As we know, the voters of the golden ball consists of 100 of the world's most esteemed journalists, but with only one prize mattering to them, Salah’s early UCL exit may have already ruled him out in some journalist books.
But despite being out of the UCL, scoring 30 plus, assisting 20 plus, winning the Premier League, winning the League Cup, winning the PFA Player Of The Year, and becoming the most awarded player of the month winner in the Premier League surely has to be considered as being the best player in the world.
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