Monday’s announcement of the 30-man shortlist for the 2016 Ballon d’Or has sparked all kinds of debate as to who should win and has seen fans express their opinion in a number of polls, such as the MARCA English poll in which Riyad Mahrez has thus far received the most love.
With over 65,000 votes, readers believed the midfielder’s exploits with Leicester City had been worthy of adding world football’s top individual honour to the Premier League Player of the Year gong he bagged earlier in 2016.
The fact that second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo received just 11,000 clicks in that poll highlights just how much of a favourite the Algerian was.
Yet it wasn’t only on this website that Mahrez was considered a worthy winner, as France Football – the magazine which will award the Ballon d’Or – saw the 25-year-old haul in 33 percent of the 1,200,000 votes cast in their own poll.
Joining him on the France Football readers’ podium were Leo Messi – with 30 percent – and Ronaldo with 22 percent.
COMMENTS