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Will a City player make the shortlist for Ballon D’Or?

ByJames Fudge|
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates with teammates Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester City at London Stadium on August 07, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Copa/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 07: Erling Haaland of Manchester City celebrates with teammates Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester City at London Stadium on August 07, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Copa/Getty Images)
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(Front row from L) Manchester City’s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City’s Algerian midfielder Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City’s Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva, Manchester City’s English midfielder Jack Grealish and Manchester City’s Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo (back row from L) Manchester City’s Dutch defender Nathan Ake, Manchester City’s English defender Kyle Walker, Manchester City’s Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, Manchester City’s Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson, Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri and Manchester City’s Portuguese defender Ruben Dias pose for a picture prior to the English FA Community Shield football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at the King Power Stadium in Leicester on July 30, 2022. (Photo by Nigel Roddis / AFP) (Photo by NIGEL RODDIS/AFP via Getty Images)
(Front row from L) Manchester City’s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City’s Algerian midfielder Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City’s Portuguese midfielder Bernardo Silva, Manchester City’s English midfielder Jack Grealish and Manchester City’s Portuguese defender Joao Cancelo (back row from L) Manchester City’s Dutch defender Nathan Ake, Manchester City’s English defender Kyle Walker, Manchester City’s Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, Manchester City’s Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson, Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder Rodri and Manchester City’s Portuguese defender Ruben Dias pose for a picture prior to the English FA Community Shield football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at the King Power Stadium in Leicester on July 30, 2022. (Photo by Nigel Roddis / AFP) (Photo by NIGEL RODDIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Ederson

Arguably the best goalkeeper in the Premier League and made some fantastic saves in the Champions League last season, however, history tells us that goalkeepers don’t win this award often.

59 years to be exact with Soviet Union’s Lev Yashin taking the gong in 1963 and remains the only goalkeeper to win that title.

Gasps around the room will be made should he not make the shortlist for the Yachine Trophy for the best goalkeeper, as he will certainly consider himself a good chance battling with Thibaut Courtois and Alisson.

The Brazilian made 20 clean sheets in the Premier League and four in the Champions League, making some important saves along the way.

Kevin De Bruyne

The ginger lad from Belgium can do no wrong in City’s eyes, he is our man. His passing range is arguably the best in the world, picking out his teammates anywhere on the pitch, making Cityzens’ jaws drop in the process.

I will give him the trophy now if I could but maybe his performance away to Real Madrid may push him outside the top three for the award, given the Champions League dominance when it comes to voting among European journalists.

Premier League, he was superb and rightly won the Premier League Player of the Season, although missed out on the FWA footballer of the year. We want justice but we move on.

A guarantee to be on the shortlist in my opinion, pushing Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane for the top three.

Erling Haaland

Although only been in City colours for the past month, we will still claim victory should the Norwegian win the award.

Unlikely though as he never celebrated any honours with the club and an injury record failed him in the goalscoring charts, both domestically and in the Champions League.

He still was a monster infront of goal, scoring 22 in 24 Bundesliga and three in three on the continent.

Should he be pivotal in the Champions League in the next two or three seasons then he will be snatching the trophy away from Kylian Mbappe, I’m sure of it.

Notable mentions for me should go to Joao Cancelo, Phil Foden, Rodri and Riyad Mahrez who could sneak City another one on the list but the three mentioned should be in contention for one award or the other.

We shall wait and see what the French Football “experts” can muster up or will it be Liverpool dominated like most awards we have seen recently.