Ballon d’Or 2021 LIVE as Lionel Messi beats Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho for award

2021 Ballon d’Or ceremony took place on Monday with Lionel Messi beating Robert Lewandowski to the men’s award as Alexia Putellas collecting the women’s prize

Lionel Messi speaks after winning record seventh Ballon d'Or

Lionel Messi has won the men’s 2021 Ballon d’Or, and a record seventh trophy, at an awards ceremony in Paris on Monday evening.

Messi, 34, held off the challenge of Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski, Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema and Chelsea’s Jorginho to collect the prize and move two clear in his long-running battle with five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who was among the 30 players shortlisted but did not feature in the top three for the first time in 11 years.

Messi was the favourite to collect the award after winning the Copa America with Argentina earlier this year – his first major international trophy – despite one of his less impressive periods at club level: Barcelona finished third in La Liga and fell in the first knockout round of the Champions League. However, Messi scored two goals as Barca won the Copa del Rey final and he was La Liga’s top goalscorer once more, before switching to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.

Lewandowski did pick up the consolation prize of the newly formed Striker of the Year award, while the Women’s Ballon d’Or went to Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas.

Further awards went to Gianluigi Donnarumma for the Yashin Trophy of best goalkeeper, to Barcelona midfielder Pedri as the starlet was handed the Kopa Trophy and another new award went to Chelsea for Club of the Year for their on-pitch achievements with both men’s and women’s teams. You can follow all the latest updates and reaction below. Keep up with all the latest breaking news by signing up to our free email alerts by clicking here.

Ballon d’Or 2021

• Messi, Lewandowski, Jorginho and Benzema chase men’s award
• Chelsea’s Champions League-winning captain Azpilicueta finishes T-29
• Man City and England playmaker Foden places 25th
• England captain and Spurs striker Kane ranks 23rd
• Chelsea’s Mount comes 19th
• Highest-ranked England star is Sterling in 15th
• Pedri wins Kopa Trophy, Jude Bellingham in second
• Lewandowski wins new Striker of the Year award
• Putellas wins Ballon d’Or Feminin award
• Donnarumma wins Yashin Trophy as best goalkeeper
• Chelsea win new Club of the Year award
• Messi wins record seventh Ballon d’Or

[29 November 2021 15:10 · Karl Matchett]

Ballon d’Or 2021: Clubs arriving for ceremony

The clubs are cranking up the proganda for their own players now as the excitement builds ahead of the start of the big reveal!

[29 November 2021 14:58 · Karl Matchett]

Ballon d’Or 2021: Yashin Trophy nominees

Worth a run-down on who else is in the running for these awards then, starting with the goalkeepers. Last year, the award was cancelled along with the others, so with the trophy only coming into existence in 2019, Alisson Becker of Liverpool and Brazil is the only winner so far.

In contention this time around:

Thibaut Courtois, Belgium/Real Madrid

Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy/PSG

Ederson, Brazil/Man City

Samir Handanovic, Slovenia/Inter Milan

Emi Martinez, Argentina/Aston Villa

Edouard Mendy, Senegal/Chelsea

Keylor Navas, Costa Rica/PSG

Manuel Neuer, Germany/Bayern Munich

Jan Oblak, Slovenia/Atletico Madrid

Kasper Schmeichel, Denmark/Leicester

[29 November 2021 14:49 · Karl Matchett]

Ballon d’Or 2021: Four awards tonight

More than one award coming tonight of course!

The Kopa Trophy goes to the best U21 player and the likes of Pedri and Ryan Gravenberch are up for the award, as well as England trio Bukayo Saka, Mason Greenwood and Jude Bellingham.

The Yashin Trophy goes to the top goalkeeper in the game.

[29 November 2021 14:35 · Karl Matchett]

Ballon d’Or 2021: What time does it start and how to watch it online?

We are just under an hour away from the start of the rankings being unveiled by France Football! It’s a long, drawn-out process of course, with the main ceremony not starting until 7:30pm tonight and continuing for some time before we see the eventual winners.

You can check all the details to know right here, including where to follow the Ballon d’Or 2021 ceremony if you’re watching online. Of course, we’ll be keeping you right up to date throughout right here!

[29 November 2021 14:25 · Karl Matchett]

Ballon d’Or Feminin: The winners so far

The women’s award is officially known as the Ballon d’Or Feminin. It only started being handed out as a prize in 2018, so this year will see only the third recipient of it. Of course, we already know we’ll see a new face winning!

2018: Ada Hegerberg (Lyon/Norway)

2019: Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign/USA)

2020: Cancelled

2021: Full shortlist

[29 November 2021 14:15 · Karl Matchett]

Ballon d’Or 2021: Latest odds

Who is looking likely to take home the main prize then among the men? Here are the top players by the latest odds...and there are two clear front-runners.

Messi 4/11

Lewandowski 2/1

Salah 8/1

Jorginho 12/1

Benzema 16/1

Kante 20/1

Ronaldo 33/1

Chiellini 40/1

Mbappe 40/1

[29 November 2021 14:06 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Ballon d’Or 2021: Every men’s winner this century

2000: Luis Figo (Real Madrid)

2001: Michael Owen (Liverpool)

2002: Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

2003: Pavel Nedved (Juventus)

2004: Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan)

2005: Ronaldinho (Barcelona)

2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid)

2007: Kaka (Milan)

2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

2009: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2010: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2011: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2012: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

2015: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

2018: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

2019: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

2020: Cancelled

2021: Full shortlist

[29 November 2021 13:55 · Lawrence Ostlere]

Ballon d’Or 2021: Unlucky Lewandowski?

Last year’s award was cancelled due a football calendar disrupted by the pandemic – a controversial decision which saw Robert Lewandowski almost certainly denied his first golden ball.

Bayern Munich’s Polish striker is among the frontrunners once again, but Lionel Messi’s achievement finally winning the Copa America earlier this year has put him top of the pile in this year’s odds. If Messi does win, it would be his seventh Ballon d’Or award, a record tally which would see him move two clear of his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann hugs striker Robert Lewandowski (Getty)

[29 November 2021 13:48 · Lawrence Ostlere]

How to watch Ballon d’Or award ceremony?

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will be streamed live online via L’Equipe’s YouTube channel. Eurosport will also be streaming the award on its website and the Eurosport app.

[29 November 2021 13:41 · Lawrence Ostlere]

What time is the Ballon d’Or award ceremony?

The ceremony takes place tonight at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris starting from 7.30pm GMT. The ranking will begin by being unveiled at 3.30pm GMT and the ceremony is expected to end around 9pm GMT.