2022 Ballon d’Or nominees: Benzema, Mbappe, Salah lead 30-man shortlist

France Football Magazine has released its 30-man shortlist for the 2022 Ballon d’Or Award.

Record seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, is not on the list after struggling in his debut season in Ligue 1. Fellow Paris Saint-Germain attacker Neymar also doesn’t make the list.

The winner of football’s most coveted individual prize will be announced at a Ceremony in Paris alongside the Kopa Trophy and Yachine Trophy winners.

The 30 nominees for the 2022 Ballon d’Or Award are:

1. Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig, France)
2. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)
3. Joao Cancelo (Manchester City, Portugal)
4. Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
5. Rafael Leao (AC Milan, Portugal)
6. Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich, Germany)
7. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/FC Barcelona, Poland)
8. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City, Portugal)
9. Luis Diaz (Liverpool/FC Porto, Colombia)
10. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool, England)
11. Fabinho (Liverpool, Brazil)
12. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City, Algeria)
13. Heung-min Son (Tottenham Hotspur, South Korea)
14. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, France)
15. Casemiro (Real Madrid, Brazil)
16. Phil Foden (Manchester City, England)
17. Sadio Mane (Liverpool/Bayern Munich, Senegal)
18. Darwin Nunez (Liverpool/Benfica, Uruguay)
19. Mike Maignan (AC Milan, France)
20. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)
21. Sebastien Haller (Ajax/Borussia Dortmund, Ivory Coast)
22. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Portugal)
23. Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid/Chelsea, Germany)
24. Erling Braut Haaland (Borussia Dortmund/Manchester City, Norway)
25. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain, France)
26. Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands)
27. Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus/Fiorentina, Serbia)
28. Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur, England)
29. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid, Brazil)
30. Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid, Belgium)

Benzema is the odds-on favourite to lift the Ballon d’Or after an incredible campaign in which he netted over 40 goals.

The French striker netted 15 goals in the Champions League, leading Real Madrid to their 14th title. He also finished as La Liga’s top scorer as they won the title.

Mbappe will not be so far off after an outstanding season in France. He finished top of the scoring and assist charts.

Liverpool’s Salah will be in the running after finishing as the top scorer in the Premier League. Former teammate Mane will be gunning for the prize after leading Senegal to their first African Cup of Nations title.

When will the winner be announced?

The 2022 Ballon d’Or Award will be handed to the winner at a ceremony in Paris on October 17, 2022.