LIONEL MESSI is the overwhelming favourite to clinch this year's Ballon d'Or award.
Bookmakers Paddy Power make the Argentinian meastro as low as 1/14 to scoop the award and next month's awards doo.
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Messi is on course to wrap up a record eighth Ballon D'or, reclaiming it from last year's victor Karim Benzema.
It'd be Messi's third win in the past four runnings of the prestigious title, with no winner called in 2020 due to the pandemic.
It follows the Argentina skipper's efforts in helping his nation win last year's World Cup in Qatar, which capped off a stellar career.
He subsequently left PSG for America and his Inter Miami career started just as you'd expect it to.
He recorded ten goals in his first seven games in the country to set a marker down to the rest of the MLS that he wasn't there on a retirement jolly.
This past 12 months has put him as the leading contender for Ballon d'Or glory and he's 1/14 with Paddy Power to claim the award.
Chasing him down though is Erling Haaland, who recently scooped the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award.
Ballon d’Or winner odds
From Paddy Power
- Lionel Messi 1/14
- Erling Haaland 13/2
- Kevin de Bruyne 80/1
- Vinicius Jr 80/1
- Rodri 80/1
- Jude Bellingham 80/1
- Bernardo Silva 80/1
- Karim Benzema 100/1
- Harry Kane 100/1
- Kylian Mbappe 100/1
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Haaland hit a quite astonishing 52 goals in all competitions last season, helping Manchester City to a remarkable treble.
He was top marksman in the Champions League with 12 goals, tying Andy Cole's record for the most scored for an English side in a season in that competition.
Despite all this – and beating Cole and Alan Shearer's longstanding Premier League scoring record for a single season – he's unfortunately looking like playing second fiddle to Messi.
Haaland is 13/2 second favourite – then it's up to an incredible 80/1 to find the next contender.
In fact there's five all at those odds including City trio Bernardo Silva, Rodri and Kevin de Bruyne, and Real Madrid duo Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham – the shortest priced Englishman on the list.
It's then 100/1 and bigger the rest, including Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and current holder Benzema.
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