Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)

In 2021: 41 goals, 17 assists. Won Copa America & Copa del Rey.

Actual ranking: 1st

Ballon d'Or number seven is now Lionel Messi's, even if his relatively slow start to life at Paris Saint-Germain saw the chasing pack close the gap considerably over the past three months.

The GOAL50 winner almost single-handedly dragged Barcelona to what would have been an unlikely La Liga title if they had got over the line during the opening months of 2021, before winning Player of the Tournament and the Golden Boot at the Copa America as the Argentine finally claimed his first major international trophy.

His goal record might not match that of Lewandowski's, but Ballon d'Or voters do have a magpie-like nature to them, and enjoy the sight of players lifting silverware.

For that reason, Messi just had the edge in one of the closest fights for years.