There are several Serie A figures in the Ballon d’Or top 30, including Rafael Leao of Milan, who ends an extraordinary 16-year run for Cristiano Ronaldo as the best Portuguese player, Dusan Vlahovic and Mike Maignan.
The award is organised by France Football and voted for by a jury of media specialists from various different countries.
Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema has been tipped for the prize for many months, since helping Carlo Ancelotti’s side win the Champions League and La Liga title.
Elsewhere, Milan are represented in joint 25th place by goalkeeper Mike Maignan, while Dusan Vlahovic is in 17th place alongside Casemiro of Real Madrid and Luis Diaz of FC Porto and Liverpool.
Because the votes were for the 2021-22 season rather than the 2022 calendar year, Vlahovic received credit for both his performances for Fiorentina and since January 2022 at Juventus.
Former Juve star Cristiano Ronaldo is in 20th spot and it ends a couple of historic runs for the Manchester United man.
It is the first time since 2006 that CR7 has been out of the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or rankings, which is also the last time he was not the highest-rated Portuguese player.
In 2006, he finished 14th and was superseded by Deco in 11th, but this year it is Milan’s Scudetto-winner Rafael Leao who comfortably out-ranks Ronaldo in joint 14th place.
Ballon d’Or 2022 rankings
11
Son Heung-Min (Tottenham)
12
Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
13
Sebastien Haller (Ajax/Borussia Dortmund)
14
RAFAEL LEAO (MILAN)
Fabinho (Liverpool)
16
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
17
Luis Diaz (Porto/Liverpool)
Casemiro (Real Madrid)
DUSAN VLAHOVIC (FIORENTINA/JUVENTUS)
20
CRISTIANO RONALDO (JUVENTUS/MANCHESTER UNITED)
21
Harry Kane (Tottenham)
22
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
25
Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Antonio Rudiger (Chelsea/Real Madrid)
Joao Cancelo (Manchester City)
Darwin Nunez (Benfica/Liverpool)
Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
MIKE MAIGNAN (MILAN)