Ballon d’Or 2022: Full list of nominees for this year’s award
The Ballon d’Or shortlists have been announced, with Karim Benzema the heavy favorite in the men’s category and England’s Beth Mead among the contenders in the women’s category. On October 17th, in Paris, there will be a spectacular awards ceremony. As Lionel Messi was not included in the finalists despite having won the award seven times before, this might also be seen as a changing of the guard. Messi’s PSG teammate Neymar was overlooked on the men’s shortlist. Although Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema is a heavy favorite to steal the title after leading his team to La Liga and the Champions League, Robert Lewandowski still has a chance to win it this season after being controversially beaten to the honor by Messi last year.
Among the nominees for the Ballon d’Or Feminin are Millie Bright, Lucy Bronze, and Beth Mead, three members of the English Women’s Euros-winning team. Two players under the age of 21 who are in the running for the Kopa Trophy are Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka. The Yachine Trophy contenders include four Premier League keepers: Edouard Mendy, Ederson, Alisson, and Hugo Lloris. On October 17, 2022, the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris will host the Ballon d’Or 2022 ceremony. The event organizers have not yet established a time for the ceremony.
As part of the festivities, the Yashin Trophy (awarded to the top player in his or her 20s) and the Kopa Trophy (best player under 21) will be handed out (for the best goalkeeper). 2021 saw Pedri take home the Kopa Trophy and Gianluigi Donnarumma win the Yashin Trophy.
BALLON D’OR NOMINEES
- Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
- Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
- Joao Cancelo (Manchester City)
- Casemiro (Real Madrid)
- Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
- Luis Diaz (Liverpool)
- Fabinho (Liverpool)
- Phil Foden (Manchester City)
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
- Sebastien Haller (Borussia Dortmund)
- Harry Kane (Tottenham)
- Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
- Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
- Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
- Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
- Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
- Sadio Mane (Bayern Munich)
- Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
- Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
- Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
- Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
- Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
- Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
- Heung-Min Son (Tottenham)
- Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
- Vinicius JR (Real Madrid)
- Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)
BALLON D’OR FEMININ NOMINEES
- Selma Bacha (Lyon)
- Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)
- Millie Bright (Chelsea)
- Lucy Bronze (Barcelona)
- Kadidiatou Diani (PSG)
- Christiane Endler (Lyon)
- Ada Hegerberg (Lyon)
- Marie-Antoinette Katoto (PSG)
- Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
- Catarina Macario (Lyon)
- Beth Mead (Arsenal)
- Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal)
- Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave)
- Lena Oberdorf (Wolfsburg)
- Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona)
- Alexandra Popp (Wolfsburg)
- Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
- Wendie Renard (Lyon)
- Trinity Rodman (Washington Spirit)
- Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona)
KOPA TROPHY NOMINEES
- Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund)
- Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
- Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid)
- Gavi (Barcelona)
- Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich)
- Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig)
- Nuno Mendes (PSG)
- Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
- Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
- Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen)
YACHINE TROPHY NOMINEES
- Alisson Becker (Liverpool)
- Yassine Bounou (Sevilla)
- Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
- Ederson (Manchester City)
- Hugo Lloris (Tottenham)
- Mike Maignan (AC Milan)
- Edouard Mendy (Chelsea)
- Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
- Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid)
- Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt)
The awards will be given out at a ceremony in Paris on October 17.