The list of challengers to win the 2020 Ballon d'Or has the usual football superstars on the shortlist, but Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski appears to be the clear favorite to snatch the honor in December, with the Poland international tipped to win over perennial winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The latest ranking of contenders shows Lewandowski at No. 1, and it's no surprise the Bayern star is in the lead. The Bavarians have already won the Bundesliga title and the German Cup, repeating their perfomance from last season.
However, the 31-year-old will have to best the two big names that have dominated the award in the past years. Ronaldo is at No. 2 in the Ballon d'Or rankings and is powering Juventus to a Serie A title on the back of his 25 goals scored in Italy so far. It's highly likely that the Portuguese superstar could outrace Lewandowski and secure his Ballon No. 6 by the end of the year.
Then there is Messi, who already has six Ballon trophies. To be sure, garnering a seventh will greatly depend on Messi's side winning the La Liga crown and perhaps adding the Champions League title.
But first, the Argentine has to keep things in order at Camp Nou, which has been staggered lately by players and executives feuding.
Chances seem greater for Lewandowski to pocket his first Ballon, and also become the first Bayern player to take home the honor in nearly four decades. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge made the Bavarians proud in receiving the trophy in 1981.
Goal said the Pole leading Bayern to a Champions League final appearance should put the award on the bag for him. Lewandowski ended the German campaign with 51 goals in all competitions and it's hard to argue with his numbers.
According to Bayern boss Hans Flick, Lewandowski's goalscoring performance during the season has to count big for the Ballon consideration. The striker dominated the Bundesliga with 34 goals, and his efforts made him the league's scoring champion.
In the Champions League, Lewandowski is expected to add to the 11 goals he has already registered when the competition resumes in August. The Pole is motivated to pour out his best and Flick said his man deserves to get the ultimate recognition sought by every footballer.
"If I measure for goals ... then you can think about how a player from the Bundesliga can become the Ballon d'Or winner. So why not? He has laid all the groundwork with this achievement this year," The Daily Mail reported the Bayern manager as saying.
Flick added that Lewandowski knows he plays great football, and that his ultimate confidence on the pitch should make him a winner above the rest.
