NEW DELHI: Lionel Messi stands as the favoured contender to secure the eighth Ballon d'Or of his illustrious career, set to take place in Paris on Monday. Spain's World Cup-winning star, Aitana Bonmati, is also tipped as the leading candidate for the women's prize.
Over the past 15 years, the prestigious Ballon d'Or award has been dominated by Messi and his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo, with a combined 12 wins between them. Only two other players have managed to break this duopoly: Luka Modric in 2018 and Karim Benzema in the previous year.
