With the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc with the football calendar in 2020, France Football decided to cancel the most prestigious individual award - the Ballon d’Or.
There would have been a handful of players feeling hard done that they didn’t have the opportunity to fight for the accolade - most notably Robert Lewandowski who scored 55 goals as his Bayern Munich side won the Bundesliga and Champions League.
But who needs the Ballon d’Or when you’ve got Goal 50?
The publication have ranked the top 25 male and female players on the planet during the 2019-20 season.
The female version can be found HERE.
But let’s check out the top 25 male players:
25. Paulo Dybala
Dybala almost left Juventus last summer with a move to Tottenham looking likely. But he remained in Italy and scored 17 goals last season to be named Serie A's Player of the Season.
24. Jadon Sancho
Just 20-years-old, Sancho has the world at his feet. Manchester United were seemingly desperate to sign him from Borussia Dortmund in the summer but decided against spending £110 million on him.
23. Jordan Henderson
Henderson has gone from a scapegoat at Anfield to a captain that will go down in the club's history. He led Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years and was voted the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year.
22. Bruno Fernandes
Since signing for £49 million back in January, Fernandes has been a revelation for Manchester United. In just 22 games last season, he scored 12 goals and registered eight assists. He hasn’t started the 2020/21 campaign too badly, either.
21. Manuel Neuer
The German has been regarded as the best goalkeeper in world football for quite a few years. Goal believe that’s still the case as he’s the only ‘keeper in the top 25.
20. Alphonso Davies
From the MLS to European Champion in a couple of years. It’s been an incredible journey for the 20-year-old as he’s only going to get better.
19. Ciro Immobile
Immobile scored a quite ridiculous 36 goals last season to beat a certain Cristiano Ronaldo to the Serie A Golden Boot as well as the European Golden Shoe.
18. Mohamed Salah
Salah’s role in Liverpool winning the Premier League title came in the form of 19 goals and 10 assists. Not his most prolific season at Anfield but still a very good one nonetheless.
17. Erling Haaland
A future Ballon d’Or winner in the making. Haaland only turned 20 in the summer and is already tearing up the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. Just the 44 goals in 40 matches during the 2019/20 season.
16. Serge Gnabry
The player who once wasn’t good enough for Tony Pulis’ West Brom is now the 16th best player in the world. His 23 goals in all competitions saw Bayern Munich romp to domestic and European glory.
15. Romelu Lukaku
It didn’t work out for Lukaku at Manchester United but he managed 34 goals for Inter Milan last season. He may have found himself even higher up the list if he had led his side to Europa League glory in the final, rather than scoring an own goal in the final against Sevilla.
14. Trent Alexander-Arnold
At the age of 22, Alexander-Arnold has won both the Premier League and Champions League for his boyhood club as well as establishing himself as one of the best right-backs in world football. His 13 Premier League assists last season were key to Jurgen Klopp’s side cruising to the title.
13. Sergio Ramos
Ramos was recently voted the best defender of all time and scored his 100th Real Madrid goal. At the age of 34, he’s still got it.
12. Thiago Alcantara
We haven’t seen too much of Thiago in a Liverpool shirt but he was brilliant for Bayern last season as they dominated Germany and Europe. We can’t wait to see the best of him in the Premier League.
11. Joshua Kimmich
Kimmich can do the lot. "I see Kimmich as a top right-back, left-back, centre-back, No.6, No.8, No.10... He has the qualities to be anything he wants to be!" Jose Mourinho recent said. He’s that good.
10. Sadio Mane
Mane ranks eight places higher than teammate Salah after another brilliant season at Anfield. His 18 goals in the Premier League included some crucial match-winners.
9. Thomas Muller
Muller broke a Bundesliga record by recording a quite ridiculous 21 assists last season. He also scored 12 in all competitions as Bayern showed they’re the best side in the world right now.
8. Karim Benzema
Benzema showed everyone his career at the very highest level isn’t over with 21 La Liga goals as he almost single-handedly carried his side to the title.
7. Virgil van Dijk
The best defender in the world. Van Dijk played every minute of Liverpool’s triumphant Premier League season but probably won’t be seen again during 2020/21.
6. Kylian Mbappe
With Ligue 1 being cut short, Mbappe finished with 18 goals in 20 matches in the top-flight. He couldn’t get the better of Bayern Munich in the Champions League final but, at the age of 21, Mbappe will be eyeing a top 5 finish in the years to come.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo
At the age of 35, it’s remarkable that Ronaldo is still one of the best players in world football. He finished with a remarkable 37 goals in 46 matches last season. Let’s hope he’s still around for many more years.
4. Neymar
Neymar only managed 15 Ligue 1 appearances last season but did score 13 goals. But he impressed in the Champions League as the French side reached the final. The 28-year-old is running out of time to be regarded as the heir to Messi and Ronaldo’s throne, though.
3. Lionel Messi
Barcelona didn’t win the league and were humiliated by Bayern Munich in the Champions League. But Messi registered 25 assists and scored 31 goals - 25 in La Liga - to post a pretty decent individual campaign.
2. Kevin De Bruyne
The best midfielder in world football couldn’t lead Manchester City to Premier League or Champions League glory last season. But his 13 goals and record-equalling 20 assists in the Premier League proved the Belgian is still one of the best players around.
1. Robert Lewandowski
If the Ballon d’Or was being dished out in 2020, Lewandowski would have won it. As well as lifting the Bundesliga and Champions League, the Pole scored an absurd 55 goals in 47 games. Nobody comes close.
