Ballon d'Or 2021: Man City star Kevin De Bruyne battles Lionel Messi

After a year hiatus due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic across global domestic football, the world's most prestigious individual football award will make a return later this year.

Soonest 30 players to be shortlisted as nominees for the award.

And after once again being named PFA Player's Player of the Year, as well as leading City to a Premier League trophy and a Champions League final, the Belgian will almost certainly be considered as one of the favourites this year.

The last 12 years of the Ballon D'Or has been dominated by two men: Lionel Messi (six-time winner) and Cristiano Ronaldo (five-time winner).

If he were to win the award, De Bruyne would be one of only two midfielders to win the award since in 14 years - with Kaka (2008) and Luke Modric (2018) before him. He would also be Manchester City 's first-ever Ballon D'Or winner.