Ballon d’Or: Jamie Vardy 200/1 to crash the Messi & Ronaldo party
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Six years ago he was playing for Stocksbridge Park Steels in the depths of Non-League football. Now, Jamie Vardy is on the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist among the very greatest names in world football.
The Leicester City hotshot has been rewarded for a stunning Premier League campaign, with Vardy’s 24 goals helping the Foxes defeat 5000/1 odds and win a famous title.
Vardy has also become an England hero too, making his debut 12 months ago before scoring against Wales in this summer’s European Championships.
We make the former Fleetwood Town man 200/1 to win this year’s Ballon d’Or, with Cristiano Ronaldo favourite at 1/6.
Since merging into its current guise in 2009, only Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have won the award.
And following Champions League success with Real Madrid, plus international success with Portugal at the Euros, it’s the ex-Manchester United forward who is the odds-on favourite.
Messi, after an injury-hit campaign last time out, is 6/1 second favourite despite helping Barcelona claim the La Liga championship.
Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann is also at 6s, with Messi’s Barca team-mate Luis Suarez the only other man in contention according to the bookies at 8/1.
Vardy’s team-mate Riyad Mahrez – last season’s PFA Player of the Year – is an 80/1 shot, alongside Man City’s Sergio Aguero.
The world’s most expensive player, Paul Pogba, is at 40/1, behind Gareth Bale and Neymar, with the duo each at 33s.
West Ham’s Dimitri Payet is 50/1 following his stunning performances last term, ahead of Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at 66/1.
Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Man City’s Kevin de Bruyne are the final Premier League players nominated, with each deemed an 80/1 chance of winning the accolade.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
