2022 Ballon d'Or rankings

We take a look at the top 10 in the 2022 Ballon d'Or rankings.

The 2022 award was slightly different to other years because, for the first time in the awards history, it was based on the results of the European season and not the calendar year.

French striker Karim Benzema was named Ballon d'Or winner for the first time after his club side Real Madrid captured a La Liga and UEFA Champions League double.

Benzema finished as top goalscorer in the league, was awarded Player of the Season and also won the Nations League with France, scoring and being awarded Player of the Match in the final.

Owing to the success of Madrid, three of Benzema's teammates also finished within the top 10.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was named Player of the Match in the UEFA Champions League final victory over Liverpool and finished in seventh, just ahead of Vinicius Jr and Luka Modric.

Despite losing out to Madrid in the Champions League final, the accomplishments of Liverpool forwards Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were recognised with runner-up and fifth place finishes respectively.

The Reds also narrowly missed out on winning the Premier League title on the final day.

It was a title race that they eventually lost to Manchester City and, after registering a mammoth 33 goal contributions in all competitions, Kevin De Bruyne completed the Ballon d'Or top three.

2022 Ballon d'Or rankings

1. Karim Benzema
2. Sadio Mane
3. Kevin De Bruyne
4. Robert Lewandowski
5. Mohamed Salah
6. Kylian Mbappe
7. Thibaut Courtois
8. Vinicius Jr
9. Luka Modric
10. Erling Haaland