An image of what is being claimed to be the final standings for this year’s Ballon d’Or has been leaked online, with Robert Lewandowski in the top spot.
The picture is of a document supposedly from France Football, which is dated October 25 and shows the rankings of those in the running for this year’s prize.
It has sparked significant debate online, centering on the veracity of the document.
If the image is in fact genuine, then the Bayern Munich forward will win football’s greatest individual accolade for the first time on November 29.
Some fans offered tweets of support for Lewandowski and delighted in the veteran forward finally ‘winning’, while others were skeptical about the document.
He is seen to have collected 627 points from the 176 voting nations, ahead of Lionel Messi in second place, who would miss out on a seventh crown.
Karim Benzema is in third on 526 points having been an ever-present for Real Madrid and France over the last year.
Lewandowski would be a worthy winner whether the leaked image is real or not and the 33-year-old was the favorite to win last season before the ceremony was canceled due to Covid.
The Polish striker has scored 17 goals in 13 games so far this season with jaw-dropping averages of a goal every 52 minutes in the Champions League and 72 minutes in the Bundesliga.
Messi is yet to set the world alight at PSG but still has plenty of credit from his last season at Barcelona, which saw him hit 38 goals with 14 assists in all competitions.
Half of the supposed best players in the world ply their trade in the Premier League with Mo Salah in fourth, Jorginho in fifth, N’Golo Kante in seventh, Cristiano Ronaldo in ninth, and Kevin De Bruyne making up the final spot in the top 10.