The nominees for the 2021 Ballon d’Or were announced late last week after being cancelled last time out due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
As things stand, it is of course Messi who is viewed as the bookmakers‘ favourite to bag a historic 7th Ballon d’Or crown.
Amongst the other front-runners, though, are the likes of Robert Lewandowski, and Chelsea pair N’Golo Kante and Jorginho.
One star name, on the other hand, who has seemingly been overlooked by many when it comes to his chances of bagging the prize, is Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese superstar would draw level with Messi in the Ballon d’Or record books with a 2021 triumph.
And, this week, one of the most respected names in the world of football, Sir Alex Ferguson has thrown his weight behind CR7’s latest award campaign.
Speaking to the media, as cited by Marca, the ex-Manchester United boss, known to maintain a strong relationship with Ronaldo, assured that:
‘‘Cristiano deserves it.
‘'This year he’s broken record after record.’'
The first ‘Golden Ball’ for almost two years will be served up late next month.
This article was most recently revised and updated 4 years ago
