9) Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
In 2021-22: 23 clean sheets. Won Champions League, La Liga & Supercopa de Espana. Courtois' Man-of-the-Match winning display in the Champions League final only moved to cement his status as the best goalkeeper in the world over the past 12 months. His saves from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were stunning, and after making key interventions throughout Madrid's run to the trophy, there are few players who deserved to lift the European Cup more than the Belgium No.1.
7)Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
In 2021-22: Seven goals, 14 assists. Won Champions League, La Liga & Supercopa de Espana. Modric put in a number of virtuoso performances over the course of the campaign, with the Croatian star showing no signs of slowing down at the age of 36. The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner is unlikely to triumph again in 2022, but a place among the top 10 is surely a foregone conclusion.
6)Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
In 2021-22: 22 goals, 19 assists. Won Champions League, La Liga & Supercopa de Espana. The Champions League final match-winner, Vinicius capped his breakout campaign with the biggest goal of the European club season to secure Real Madrid's 14th European Cup. With Brazil one of the favourites for the upcoming World Cup, who is to say that the forward won't be right in the Ballon d'Or mix in 2023 either?
1)Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
In 2021-22: 48 goals, 15 assists. Won Champions League, La Liga, UEFA Nations League & Supercopa de Espana. In terms of consistency through the season, the number of top-level performances, standing up in the biggest moments possible and final trophy haul, Benzema ticks every box needed to win a Ballon d'Or. There was not a player who even came close to the Real Madrid striker in terms of impact on the 2021-22 European season, and he will rightfully lift the Golden Ball at October's ceremony.