The next Ballon d’Or winner has sparked debate among football fans, with Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid stars Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. leading the race to clinch the award.
However, it appears to be a clear shootout between Real Madrid teammates Bellingham and Vinicus, following an impressive campaign for the Spanish giants, which saw them dominate La Liga and recently win the Champions League title.
Jude Bellingham’s impressive season

Bellingham has excelled in his debut season in Spain, quickly becoming a fan favorite. The Englishman has the individual numbers to match the team’s performance, having assisted 13 goals and scored 23 goals in 42 appearances across all competitions this season, including an assist in the Champions League final against Dortmund.
With the Euro 2024 coming up in days, Bellingham’s prospects of winning the Ballon d’Or could be boosted, as England are tipped favourites to win the competition. A solid performance in the tournament might be enough for him to become the first Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001.
Vinicius Jr. as a major contender for the Ballon d’Or

Meanwhile, Vinicius Jr., as it stands, is the favorite to win the Ballon d’Or award, following his impressive performance in the semi-final second leg against Bayer Munich and his goal in the final versus Dortmund. With 24 goals and 11 assists throughout all competitions, his individual numbers are similar to Bellingham’s.
In addition, Vinicius will compete in the Copa America this summer, much like Bellingham in the Euros, and if he leads Brazil to victory there, he will probably be difficult to surpass.
Kylian Mbappe, who was initially one of the major contenders for the award alongside Vinicius and Bellingham, has gone down the pecking order after PSG got eliminated by Dortmund in the Champions League semifinal. The 26-year-old won the domestic treble, including the Ligue 1 title with Les Parisiens, in his last season with the club.
Mbappe has the individual statistics to his advantage this season, having made 47 appearances in all competitions, scored 43 goals, and provided 10 assists.
Who leads the Ballon d’Or race?

According to Sky Bet,Vinicius Junior has a 2/5 probability of clinching the Ballon d’Or, followed by Jude Bellingham at 7/2. Meanwhile, Toni Kroos follows with 8/1, and Kylian Mbappe comes after with 12/1, while Harry Kane , Phil Foden, and Rodri, 14/1 and 16/1, respectively.