Who will win Ballon d'Or 2021? Lewandowski and Messi neck and neck

Robert Lewandowski is the narrow favourite to win the Ballon d'Or ahead of six-time winner Lionel Messi when football's most illustrious individual honour is awarded in a fortnight.

The Bayern Munich striker was most recently backed at 1.9420/21 while the Argentine legend is around evens to take the prize for a seventh time.

The Ballon d'Or winner will be announced two weeks today.

It's beginning to look like a two-horse-race according to the @BetfairExchange

Lewandowski or Messi, who are you backing? pic.twitter.com/BMX8kQOsvN

? Betfair (@Betfair) November 15, 2021

Last season, Lewandowski hit a Bundesliga record of 41 goals in a German top flight campaign as Bayern Munich won the title. Prior to that, he was central to their Bundesliga and Champions League double in 2019/20 and considered unlucky not to get the chance to win the Ballon d'Or when it was cancelled due to the pandemic last December.

Just over a month ago he was longer than 4.03/1 but he has since scored 12 more goals, including a hat-trick in the Champions League. Tonight, he is set to lead the line for Poland against Hungary in their final World Cup qualifier.

Messi was around 1.68/13 but he has drifted as his first season at Paris Saint-Germain continues in stop-start fashion, although he did score a brace in their 3-2 win over RB Leipzig a fortnight ago.

And it is easy for some European fans to overlook the fact that he also helped Argentina win the Copa America - his first major international title - in 2021.

He was most recently backed at 2.01/1 and there is a growing sense that, with Messi leaving Barcelona and still adjusting to life at PSG, it may be somebody else's year.

The Exchange odds indicate that Lewandowski will be the beneficiary, although Jurgen Klopp recently hailed Mo Salah as the best in the world in his position. The Liverpool forward has been in scintillating form this season, scoring 15 goals for his club.

Salah is 40.039/1, however, the same price as Jorginho, who was once considered a leading candidate for his performances for Champions League winners Chelsea and Italy in their march to Euro 2020 glory.