Mohamed Salah is the sole Liverpool representative for the club in the 2021 Ballon d’Or after being named among the 30 shortlisted nominees for the award.
The Reds’ mixed bag in 2021 has not been favourable to seeing them stand out for the top gongs in the calendar year, with the No. 11 the only exception.
It’s a far cry from 2019 when the Reds have a seven-strong group in the top 30 in what was a trophy-laden year, while 2020 passed by without the Ballon d’Or due to COVID-19.
Now, Salah is back in the running for the award two years on from his fifth-place finish having been named on the shortlist after another mesmerising year.
In 2021 so far, Salah has notched 24 goals and five assists for the Reds.
The Ballon d’Or is presented by France Football and is determined by votes from worldwide journalists, along with the coaches and captains of national teams.
Liverpool have had one winner of the award in Michael Owen (2001) but top three finishes have Kenny Dalglish (1983), Steven Gerrard (2005), Fernando Torres (2008) and Virgil van Dijk (2019).
Lionel Messi was the last winner of the award, his sixth in total, and he is again in the running alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho.
The 2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on Monday, November 29 at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
Full Ballon d’Or Shortlist
Riyad Mahrez
N’Golo Kante
Erling Haaland
Leonardo Bonucci
Mason Mount
Harry Kane
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Karim Benzema
Raheem Sterling
Nicolo Barella
Lionel Messi
Bruno Fernandes
Pedri
Luka Modric
Giorgio Chiellini
Kevin De Bruyne
Neymar
Ruben Dias
Lautaro Martinez
Simon Kjaer
Robert Lewandowski
Jorginho
Mohamed Salah
Cesar Azpilicueta
Romelu Lukaku
Cristiano Ronaldo
Gerard Moreno
Phil Foden
Kylian Mbappe
Luis Suarez
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