Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand believes Cristiano Ronaldo will be back in the running for the Ballon d'Or next season.
Ferdinand feels that Ronaldo's numbers and lack of success last season has ruled out him for this year's edition of the famous, with Robert Lewandowski getting the ex-defender's vote.
However, the former Red Devils star feels Ronaldo can get back into the Ballon d'Or picture next year after his impressive start to the season upon his return to Old Trafford.
"This would never have been a table before, it would have just been two names on there: [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"Cristiano's not on there because his teams didn't win the league and he didn't get as many goals maybe, but Cristiano Ronaldo, doing what he's doing now, next season could be on this list.
"I think this year, Lewandowski, yeah. 56 goal involvements in 38 games is ridiculous. That is Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi numbers."
Scroll right to see the all the 2021 Ballon d'Or nominees
Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
N'Golo Kante (Chelsea/France)
Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund/Norway)
Mason Mount (Chelsea/England(
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/France)
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur/England)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain/Italy)
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City/England)
Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan/Italy)
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain/Argentina)
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United/Portugal)
Pedri (Barcelona/Spain)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid/Croatia)
Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus/Italy)
Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City/Belgium)
Ruben Dias (Manchester City/Portugal)
Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan/Argentina)
Simon Kjaer (AC Milan/Denmark)
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich/Poland)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt)
Jorginho (Chelsea/Italy)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United/Portugal)
Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
Luis Suarez (Atletico Madrid/Uruguay)
Phil Foden (Manchester City/England)
Gerard Moreno (Villarreal/Spain)
Romelu Lukaku (Chelsea/Belgium)
Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea/Spain)
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