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Ballon d’Or power rankings: Can Chelsea finally boast a winner?

By Subhrajit Chowdhury

Chelsea's Italian midfielder Jorginho reacts after scoring his penalty in the penalty shoot out during the UEFA Super Cup football match between Chelsea and Villarreal at Windsor Park in Belfast on August 11, 2021. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea's Italian midfielder Jorginho reacts after scoring his penalty in the penalty shoot out during the UEFA Super Cup football match between Chelsea and Villarreal at Windsor Park in Belfast on August 11, 2021. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 04: NGolo Kante of Chelsea FC and Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur in action during the Pre Season Friendly between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on August 04, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 04: NGolo Kante of Chelsea FC and Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur in action during the Pre Season Friendly between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on August 04, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images) /

3. N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)

One of the favorites to win the Ballon d’Or this season is none other than Chelsea’s very own sweetheart, N’Golo Kante. The Frenchman who became the engine of Chelsea’s midfield, and can be found all over the pitch at all times, definitely deserves the prestigious award after his breathtaking performances in the UCL. The Blues would have never won the Champions League had it not been for Kante’s unreal outings. His four Man of the Match trophies in the knock-out stages are a testament to his commitment to the club.

While it was not one of Kante’s best seasons for the Blues domestically, his performances in Europe outweigh that. He was only in the starting XI 24 times in the Premier League, and this was mainly due to a hamstring injury that he suffered midway through the season. Along with that, Jorginho also started to put in some brilliant performances, which further shut down his chances in the starting XI. However, Thomas Tuchel trusted the midfielder in high-profile matches against Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Man City—Kante performed brilliantly.

The warrior ran his heart out, annoyed the opposition, stole their passes and made breathtaking runs that they could not predict. He was undoubtedly the best performer for Chelsea in the knock-out stages of the UCL competition. He even won three consecutive MOTM awards, two against Los Blancos and one against the Citizens.

The 30-year-old was considered the favorite to win the 2021 Ballon d’Or at the time and had France won the Euros, there would be no one stopping that from happening. However, Les Bleus had a mediocre campaign (at best) and were knocked out by Switzerland. Kante was not at his best, and this could be due to a taxing end to the season. However, the main culprit was the defense, which let in two goals to the Swiss in the last 10 minutes of the game. Due to a mediocre Euros campaign, and not even starting in the UEFA Super Cup, Kante can only be given a third-place finish on this list. While everyone wants the ever-smiling and humble man to win the award, there were two players who were just a bit better.

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