Jurgen Klopp believes Mohamed Salah should have ranked higher after Lionel Messi beat Robert Lewandowski and the Liverpool winger for the Ballon d’Or, via the Liverpool Echo.
France Football confirmed Messi as the latest winner of the coveted award on Monday for his seventh crown. The Paris Saint-Germain forward narrowly edged Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski for the gong, with the Argentine receiving just 33 more of the votes cast.
Managers and captains of national teams and a leading sports journalist nominated by each country’s association awarded Messi 613 points. Chelsea’s Jorginho finished third with 460.
Liverpool forward Salah, meanwhile, only ranked seventh in the Ballon d’Or voting with 121 points, behind Cristiano Ronaldo (178). However, he did beat Kevin De Bruyne (73), Kylian Mbappe (58), Erling Haaland (33) and Romelu Lukaku (26) among others.
Salah ranking just seventh stunned Klopp, as the Egyptian has produced a stunning run of form through 2021 with Liverpool. He has scored 17 and assisted seven goals in 18 games already this term, following 15 goals and two assists after the turn of the year last season.
Klopp also wonders if Lewandowski will ever win the Ballon d’Or after missing out, despite his record-setting efforts.
“If you don’t give it Lewandowski now, it’s difficult to give him at all. But Mo should have been higher up, definitely,” Klopp said.
Lewandowski broke Gerd Muller’s 49-year Bundesliga record of 40 goals in a single season after scoring 41 in 29 games. He also already has 14 in 13 appearances this term, as well.
Should Liverpool ace Salah have ranked higher for Ballon d’Or, as Klopp claims?
Salah will feel aggrieved his efforts with Liverpool were not enough to finish higher in the Ballon d’Or voting order. He played a crucial role in the Reds finishing last season in the top-four of the Premier League, and has taken his game to a world-beating level this term.
But Salah faced strong competition for France Football’s coveted gong from many who also achieved international success. Messi won his first piece of silverware with Argentina at the Copa America. He also helped carry Barcelona to third in La Liga and win the Copa del Rey.
Jorginho, meanwhile, finished third after winning the Champions League with Chelsea and Euro 2020 with Italy. Aspects that will have helped to see him earn more votes than Salah.
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