Us at Sportz Point are enjoying the battle for the men's football's most coveted individual accolade, which Lionel Messi won for the seventh time in 2021. We have now compiled a list of Ballon d'Or 2022 power rankings and top 10 contenders to win the prestigious award.

The Ballon d'Or remains the most prestigious individual award in international football, despite the controversy and criticism it creates, and the race to win the honor in 2022 is well and firmly underway.

The voting rules for the Ballon d'Or were changed by France football this year, which means that the award will be judged on performances throughout a single season rather than a calendar year.

As a result, performances in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is expected to begin in November, will not be assessed this year, but rather when voting for the 2023 Ballon d'Or begins with Ballon d'Or 2022 power rankings.

So who will win the Ballon d'Or 2022? Let's list down the Ballon d'Or 2022 Power Rankings!

Ballon d'Or 2022 Power Rankings: Full list

10. Phil Foden (Manchester City)

Phil Foden, one of the few City attacking players to start both of their games this week, backed up his goal against Real Madrid with two assists against Leeds United, keeping City's Premier League and Champions League double hopes alive.

Manchester City's youngster Phil Foden has scored 13 goals this season and has provided 15 assists over the course of the 2021/22 season.

9. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

Alexander-Arnold's assists have dwindled recently, but defenses making specific attempts to keep him quiet have allowed other Liverpool players to make more impactful contributions in the final third.

However, Trent Alexander-Arnold still has had an amazing season so far. In the 2021-22 season, Alexander-Arnold has scored 2 goals as a right-back, provided 21 assists, kept 23 clean sheets, and has won the Carabao Cup.

Trent Alexander-Arnold will also feature for Liverpool in the FA Cup Final on 14th May and can potentially add another silverware to his cabinet this season.

8. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)

Vinicius' magnificent solo strike at the Etihad Stadium, flying down the left-hand side before coolly slotting past Ederson, was the pinnacle of his breakout season, which got even better on Saturday as Madrid sealed the Liga championship with a win against Espanyol.

Vini Jr has 18 goals and 18 assists this season and has won the La Liga and Supercopa de Espana with Real Madrid. He has been exceptional this season and his performance against Manchester City helped Real Madrid go to the final. Vinicius Junior is a strong contender for the Ballon d'Or winner 2022.

7. Luka Modric (Real Madrid)

The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner is ranked 7th on the list. Luka Modric has a habit of saving his most spectacular moments of brilliance for the Bernabeu in the Champions League this season, so expect him to be in the spotlight once more when Real Madrid hosts Manchester City on Wednesday.

Modric has 6 goals and 11 assists in the 2021-22 season and has won the La Liga, Supercopa de Espana, and Champions League final with Real Madrid. He has been pivotal in midfield for Real Madrid's success in 2022. Luka Modric is a strong contender to win the Ballon d'Or 2022.

6. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Lewandowski's future is certain to be one of the summer's most talked-about topics, as negotiations with Bayern Munich over a new contract continue to be difficult for both parties.

On the field, the Poland striker scored against Mainz on Saturday, but the newly-crowned German champions were defeated in a shock setback.

Robert Lewandowski has 55 goals and 10 assists for Bayern Munich this season. The Polish striker has also won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal Cup in the 2021-22 season. Robert Lewandowski is among the top 10 contenders to win the Ballon d'Or 2022.

5. Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

Sadio Mane's quest to win the Ballon d'Or in 2022 is gaining traction, especially following his goal in the Champions League semi-final against Villarreal.

Although there is still a chance that his poor start to the season may work against him in the end, there is no denying his effect on both club and international football since the turn of the year.

Sadio Mane has scored 26 goals, provided 5 assists, and has won the Carabao Cup and African Cup of Nations so far in the 2021-22 season. Mane will also certainly feature in the FA Cup final for Liverpool and will feature in the Champions League final, should Liverpool beat or draw against Villareal in the semis.

4. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

De Bruyne's streak of vital first-half goals continued against Real Madrid, as the Belgian midfielder once again led from the front for Man City as he chases his first Champions League trophy.

Kevin de Bruyne has scored 16 goals and provided 16 assists so far in the 2021-22 season. De Bruyne is the 4th nominee in the Ballon d'Or winner 2022 rankings.

3. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

Mbappe was back in the scoring column for PSG on Friday, scoring twice in a 2-2 tie with Strasbourg. His season is coming to an end after winning the Ligue 1 and getting knocked out of the Champions League.

However, the France attacker is optimistic that he will surpass 50 goals for club and country this season in the coming weeks. Kylian Mbappe is a strong contender in the Balon d'or 2022 rankings.

2. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Salah has been assisting more than scoring recently, and his perfectly-weighted ball found his teammate Sadio Mane for Liverpool's second goal against Villarreal in the first leg of the Champions League.

Mo Salah has scored 32 goals and has provided 18 assists so far in the 2021-22 season. The Egyptian King has also won the Carabao Cup and he can potentially win the quadruple with Liverpool this season. Mo Salah was also crowned winner of FWA Player of the season a few days ago.

If Mo Salah scores a few more goals in the remaining games of the season and wins the Champions League with Liverpool, there is no one stopping him from winning the Balon d'Or 2022.

1. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

If any goal exemplified Benzema's current level of confidence, it was his second goal against Man City, when his Panenka penalty beat all odds at the Etihad Stadium to keep Madrid in the Champions League semi-final.

Benzema was also on target when Los Blancos won the Spanish crown on Saturday, and he is expected to be named La Liga Player of the Year at some point soon.

Karim Benzema has scored 45 goals and provided 13 assists so far in the 2021-22 season. The French superstar has also won the La Liga, Supercopa de Espana, and the UEFA Nations with France this season.

What does it truly mean to be a world champion club? The FIFA Club World Cup provides the answer, pitting the best against one another in a quest for global dominance.

As the 21st edition of Club World Cup is ongoing, with highly competitive and strong clubs fighting for the ultimate glory, it is time to look back at the history of this tournament.

This article will explore all the past winners, top scorers, most successful teams, all at once.

FIFA Club World Cup: Past Winners

The FIFA Club World Cup, a tournament designed to crown the world's best club team, first took place in 2000. It then paused for several years, from 2001 through 2004, before returning as an annual event.

Now, 2025 marks the beginning of an entirely new era for the Club World Cup, featuring an expanded format and a fresh vision for global club football.

Check out the past winners list below:

FIFA Club World Cup: Top Scorers

Here comes the elite list where individual dominance shines:

FIFA Club World Cup: Most Successful Teams

Real Madrid holds the tag of most successful team in FIFA Club World Cup history with 5 titles. Check out the other clubs that follow:

• Real Madrid: 5 wins
• Barcelona: 3 wins
• Bayern Munich: 2 wins
• Corinthians: 2 wins

The European Golden Boot or European Golden Shoe is awarded annually to the leading goal scorer in league matches in the top divisions of European football. First awarded in 1968, this prestigious honour is judged on a points-based system.

Also Read: Players with the most champions league titles

Golden Boot: Rules

The winner is not simply the player with the most goals in the season. There is a weighting system where the goals scored in the top-ranked leagues are worth more. Players from the five highest ranked leagues according to UEFA (based on results of each league's clubs in European competition over the previous five seasons) get 2 points per scored goal, leagues ranked 6-22 get 1.5 points per goal and the remaining leagues get 1 point per goal.

The top five ranked leagues in 2022 were Germany, Spain, England, Italy, and France. The winners usually come from the top-ranked leagues.

Historical Overview

Between 1968 and 1991, the award was given by L'Équipe to the highest goalscorer in any European league. Between 1991 and 1996 there were no official awards given to the top goal scorers, but the leading goalscorer for those years have since been recognized.

Since the 1996–97 season, the award, given by European Sports Media, has used a weighted points system.

Most Golden Boots win

Lionel Messi has won the European Golden Boot a record six times (2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19). The next closest is Cristiano Ronaldo with four (2007-08, 2010-11, 2013-14, 2014-15).

Let's take a look at the most Golden Boots win in football history.

Also Read: Manchester United Trophy Cabinet

Most Golden Boots win in football history (All Time)

1. Lionel Messi | 6 Times

2. Cristiano Ronaldo | 4 Times

3. Luis Suárez | 2 Times

4. Thierry Henry | 2 Times

5. Robert Lewandowski | 2 Times

The game between Real Madrid and Real Sociedad was stopped for a few minutes as Luka Modric was substituted in the second half.

Real Madrid players gave him a guard of honour while Toni Kroos and Carlo Ancelotti gave a special hug to Real Madrid's most decorated player ever. 

Read Also | Luka Modric to Depart Real Madrid After Club World Cup, Leaving Legacy as Club Legend

Modric will end his Real Madrid career with the FIFA Club World Cup and, till now, has won 28 trophies for the Los Blancos. 

Along with Modric, it was also Carlo Ancelotti's last home match for Real Madrid, as he will also be leaving Real Madrid at the end of this season. 

The European leagues are up and running and we have already witnessed some great encounters between the top European teams. The hunt to win the European Golden Boot is also taking shape for the 2024-25 season.

Some big names from the Top five European leagues are already in full swing and they are scoring loads of goals to clinch the coveted annual award for the highest goalscorer in Europe. However, some young and talented players have enlisted themselves in the charts as well; even from outside of the top five European leagues.

According to the coefficient rankings updated by UEFA on 7 November 2024, the top five European Leagues are the English Premier League, Serie A (Italy), LaLiga (Spain), Bundesliga (Germany), and French Ligue 1 respectively. 

Sportzpoint brings you all the details about the leading goalscorers in the top five European leagues, details of the UEFA League ranking, and the leading goalscorers competing for the 2024-25 European Golden Boot.

The European Golden Boot Race

The Golden Boot is awarded by European Sports Media (ESM) which is a unified association of Football Magazine publications such as Marca, Kicker, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Frankfurter AZ, etc. They took over since 1996-97 season and started a new ranking system based on the position of the league for the respective players. 

The UEFA coefficient ranking is considered a measure for weighting points, with the principle being to acknowledge players who score in leagues of higher quality according to rankings, which makes it tougher to find the back of the net.

The number of goals scored in the top five leagues of Europe are counted with a multiplier of two, while those from leagues ranked six to 21 receive a 1.5 multiplier, and goals from all other leagues are counted as one.

This is how the points system works. 

⚽️🏆 Players with the Most European Golden Boot Wins:

🇦🇷 Lionel Messi: 6
🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo: 4
🇺🇾 Luis Suarez: 2
🇫🇷 Thierry Henry: 2
🇵🇱 Robert Lewandowski: 2

😳😳😳🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/AObaXoSpah

— Sholy Nation Sports (@Sholynationsp) July 26, 2024

Before looking at the players' list, here is the official UEFA ranking of league coefficients:

UEFA Ranking: League coefficients

Rank 1-5

Goal scorers from these five leagues receive a multiplier of 2. 

Rank 6-21

Goal scorers from these leagues ranked from 6 to 21 receive a multiplier of 1.5. 

Top goalscorers of the 2024-25 season in the top 5 European Leagues (as of 24th May 2025):

Premier League | England

1. Mohamed Salah | 28 Goals

• Club: Liverpool FC
• Nationality: Egypt
• Appearances: 37
• Goals: 28

2. Alexander Isak | 23 goals

• Club: Newcastle United
• Nationality: Sweden
• Appearances: 33
• Goals: 23

3. Erling Haaland | 21 goals

• Club: Manchester City
• Nationality: Norway
• Appearances: 30
• Goals: 21

4. Chris Wood | 20 goals

• Club: Nottingham Forrest
• Nationality: New Zealand
• Appearances: 35
• Goals: 20

5. Bryan Mbeumo | 19 goals

• Club: Brentford
• Nationality: Cameroon
• Appearances: 37
• Goals: 19

Serie A | Italy

1. Mario Retegui | 25 goals 

• Club: Atalanta BC
• Nationality: Italy
• Appearances: 35
• Goals: 25

2. Moise Kean | 18 goals

• Club: AFC Fiorentina
• Nationality: Italy
• Appearances: 10
• Goals: 5

3. Ademola Lookman | 15 goals

• Club: Atalanta BC
• Nationality: Nigeria
• Appearances: 30
• Goals: 15

4. Romelo Lukaku | 14 goals

• Club: Napoli
• Nationality: Belgium
• Appearances: 36
• Goals: 14

5. Marcus Thuram | 14 goals 

• Club: Inter Milan
• Nationality: France
• Appearances: 32
• Goals: 14

LaLiga | Spain

1. Kylian Mbappe | 30 goals

• Club: Real Madrid
• Nationality: France
• Appearances: 34
• Goals: 30

2. Robert Lewandowski | 25 goals 

• Club: FC Barcelona
• Nationality: Poland
• Appearances: 33
• Goals: 25

3. Ante Budimir | 21 goals 

• Club: CA Osasuna
• Nationality: Croatia
• Appearances: 37
• Goals: 21

4. Ayoze Perez | 19 goals 

• Club: Villarreal
• Nationality: Spain
• Appearances: 30
• Goals: 19

5. Raphinha | 18 goals

• Club: FC Barcelona
• Nationality: Brazil
• Appearances: 35
• Goals: 18

Bundesliga | Germany 

1. Harry Kane | 26 goals 

• Club: Bayern Munich
• Nationality: England
• Appearances: 31
• Goals: 26

2. Serhou Guirassy | 21 goals

• Club: Borussia Dortmund
• Nationality: Guinea
• Appearances: 30
• Goals: 21

3. Patrik Schick | 21 goals

• Club: Bayer Leverkusen 
• Nationality: Czech Republic
• Appearances: 31
• Goals: 21

4. Jonathan Burkardt | 18 goals

• Club: 1.FSV Mainz 05
• Nationality: Belgium
• Appearances: 29
• Goals: 18

5. Tim Kleindienst | 16 goals 

• Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach
• Nationality: Germany
• Appearances: 31
• Goals: 16

Ligue 1 | France

1. Ousmane Dembele | 21 goals 

• Club: Paris Saint-Germain
• Nationality: France
• Appearances: 29
• Goals: 21

2. Mason Greenwood | 21 goals 

• Club: Olympique de Marseille
• Nationality: England
• Appearances: 34
• Goals: 21

3. Arnaud Kalimuendo | 17 goals

• Club: Stade Rennais FC
  
• Nationality: France
• Appearances: 33
• Goals: 17

4. Jonathan David | 16 goals

• Club: Lille OSC
• Nationality: Canada
• Appearances: 32
• Goals: 16

5. Alexandre Lacazette | 15 goals

• Club: Lyon
• Nationality: France
• Appearances: 30
• Goals: 15

Read Also | Most goals in Europe's Top Five Leagues in 2023/24 Season

The Ultimate European Golden Boot Race (Among the top 10 European Leagues according to UEFA coefficient rankings)

Considering the players from the top 10 European leagues in this list, this is what the current race of chasing the 2024-25 European Golden Boot looks like:

The Champions League has always been a huge honour for any team. Teams like Real Madrid have won the trophy as many as 15 times while AC Milan, FC Barcelona, Ajax and Bayern Munich have won found success in Europe's biggest club competition. 

As a result, the players from such elite teams as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Ajax, and AC Milan dominate the charts of players with the most Champions League titles.

Also Read: Most Champions League titles won by Football Clubs

Players who have won the most Champions League titles

Iconic Real Madrid left-winger Paco Gento used to hold the record for the most Champions League titles by a player. He has won six trophies in his 18 years at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, Real Madrid legends Toni Kroos, Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric and Nacho have equalled his record and became the only players to win six Champions League titles in the UCL era. 

Former Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo is tied up at 5 UCL titles with players like Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta and Larence Seedorf as well as other Real Madrid giants in Hector Rial and Marquitos, Lucas Vázquez, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and a few others.

Also Read: Top 5 Defenders with the Most Champions League Goals

Former Barcelona superstars, Lionel Messi, Xavi and Iniesta, and Gerard Pique won four titles as a player. 

List of Players who have won more than four UCL titles: