Ballon d'Or Odds: Benzema the odds-on favourite to claim award
This week at BettingOdds.com we’ve decided to take a look at the current odds for the Ballon d’Or. The current top-three in the betting will all feature in Saturday’s Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid, and we’ve taken a look at the favourites and their prices with odds provided by Paddy Power.
First up, let’s take a look back at some previous winners. Since 2008 the Ballon d’Or award has become a duopoly between two of the greatest players of all time in Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The Portuguese powerhouse has claimed the award on five occasions, with the little Argentine superstar bettering him by two, with seven. However, if the odds are anything to go by it may well be a different name on the trophy this year, with Messi priced at 25/1 and Ronaldo all the way out at 40/1. This year the winner will be announced on 17 October 2022.
Karim Benzema - 4/11 (Fav)
At the head of the market we have Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema. It’s been a phenomenal campaign for the now 34-year-old. Benzema finished as the top scorer in La Liga in 2021/2022 - with 27 goals in 32 appearances, nine goals ahead of his nearest rival - as his Los Blancos side claimed their 35th title.
The Frenchman has never won the award before and has never finished in the top-three either. This time round however, there’s a strong case to be made for Benzema getting his hands on the prestigious award. Real Madrid will look to lift the Champions League for a 14th time on Saturday after overcoming PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City on their way to the final against Liverpool. A large part of the reason why they have made the final is down to Benzema who has been deadly in-front of goal with an outrageous 15 goals in just 11 matches.
Benzema has scored a hefty 56% of Real’s goals in Europe’s premier club competition this season and he can equal Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 17 goals in a single Champions League campaign by scoring a brace on Saturday. Priced at just 4/11 with Paddy Power, Benzema’s odds imply a 73% chance of him scooping the award.
Mohamed Salah - 10/1
George Weah is currently the only African player to ever have won the Ballon d’Or. That came all the way back in 1985 and Mo Salah will be looking to change that this time round and comes next in the market priced at 10/1.
Salah’s performances this season have helped his Liverpool side to two trophies, as well as missing out on the Premier League title by the barest of margins. The Egyptian King shared this season’s Premier League golden-boot with Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, with the pair having scored 23 goals.
The former Chelsea-man also topped the ranks in the Premier League when it comes to assists, showing a massive improvement in this area with 13, compared to just five in the season prior. On an International level, Salah also helped his Egypt side reach the final of the 2022 African Cup of Nations only to be beaten on penalties by Senegal. Should Salah inspire his side to a win in Saturday’s Champions League final, it would be no surprise to see his odds shorten drastically in this market.
Sadio Mane - 12/1
The only other player priced shorter than 20/1 to scoop the 2022 award is another Liverpool forward in Sadio Mane. Whilst Salah has been a little quiet in the second half of the campaign by his usual high standards, Sadio Mane has stepped up and scored some crucial goals in his side's pursuit of silverware.
Mane has scored 23 goals in all competitions this season and as mentioned above, his Senegal side claimed the 2022 African Cup of Nations on penalties. Mane was named as the player of the tournament in that triumph and can be backed at 12/1 to add the Ballon d’Or to his mantlepiece.
Kylian Mbappe - 20/1
After four years of rumours and rumblings it has now been confirmed that Kylian Mbappe will be staying as Paris Saint-Germain for the foreseeable future after putting pen to paper on a new contract. Disgusting amounts of money may be being thrown around in France but on the pitch Mbappe’s PSG side cruised to the Ligue 1 title by 15 points, despite failing to win three of their last five.
The 23-year-old has shown a certain amount of maturity to his game this season. In the past it's felt like Mbappe’s game is just simply about goals, goals, goals. However, this season he has finished with the most assists in Ligue 1 (17) as well as being the competition’s top-scorer with 28. Mbappe still has the majority of his career ahead of him and one would think he would need to win a Champions League with PSG should he wish to win the Ballon d’Or due to the lack of competition for his club side in their domestic league.
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