2018 Ballon d’Or Odds: Mo Salah on the Run to Win the Biggest Accolade

The bookmakers are starting to wake up to the possibility of Mohamed Salah breaking the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly in 2018 Ballon d’Or odds. But, could he keep rising until the end of the year?

Since 2008, no one has been able to beat either Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to the award, as they dominate European football. Each one of them won the trophy five times. Thus, the Liverpool’s goal machine lights up both the Premier League and the Champions League, Salah might just be the man to do it. Online betting sites in the UK suggest Cristiano Ronaldo favourite, while Salah is ahead of Leo Messi. However, in order for him to lead 2018 Ballon d’Or odds, Salah needs to lift UCL title in Kiev and write his name in World Cup history. Could he do the both?

Mo Salah lighting up the European football

After scoring twice in the first-leg (5-2) winner against Roma at Anfield, Salah moved onto 43 goals in all competitions this season. By comparison, Ronaldo has 42 goals for Real Madrid, while Leo Messi has 40 goals for Barcelona. If Salah keeps up at the front of the list of top scorers in Europe until the end of this season, 2018 Ballon d’Or odds will be even more in favor of him to win the prize.

Liverpool’s winger is also dominating the domestic league so far. He claimed the PFA Player of the Year award for the 2017/18 and he is leading the Premier League golden boot race. Although his individual achievements are incredible, he needs even greater success to add such big accolade to his collection.

What will determine 2018 Ballon d’Or odds?

The Ballon d’Or has gone to a winner of the Champions League for the last four years, Three times for Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and once for Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. Liverpool may have to lift a sixth European Cup in Kiev if Salah is to usurp Ronaldo, whose Real side face Bayern Munich in the other semi-final.

2018 Champions League title for Liverpool may get Salah closer but will not grant him the prize, as there is still a long way to go to the Ballon d’Or ceremony. Salah needs to get his national team to the quarterfinal in 2018 World Cup. If he could not write history for Egypt in Russia, Messi might claim the award with an influential performance for Argentina at the World Cup.

Should you bet on Salah to claim the award?

If you wish to add some excitement to the Champions League and the World Cup, bet on Salah to win the prize at Unibet Sportsbook with (3.00) odds. But you have to know that Ronaldo remains the favourite with (2.00) odds, and Messi is so close with (3.50) odds. Neymar seems to be out of the race with (13.00) odds, but if he comes back strong to the World Cup with Brazil as the favourite team to lift the cup, he might become a strong contender as well.