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Gianluigi Buffon Names His Pick For Ballon d'Or Winner

Gianluigi Buffon Names His Pick For Ballon d'Or Winner

The PSG goalkeeper has played against all the best in the world and now has had his say on who should win football's biggest prize.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

For years the Ballon d'Or has been about just two men but for the first time in a decade someone else could win it. Now Gianluigi Buffon has had his say on who should pick up the award.

A decade of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi winning the Ballon d'Or could be about to come to an end. For the last 10 years the pair have won it five times each as they've dominated the footballing landscape.

This year the end of season award might so elsewhere. Already the pair have seen the Best FIFA Player of the Season go to Luka Modric, and Messi didn't even make the top three.

The Ballon d'Or is yet to be decided but the long shortlist has already been revealed. Of the 30 men on the list quite a few have a chance. Modric, Ronaldo and Mo Salah, the top three in FIFA's awards will obviously be favourites.

However Gianluigi Buffon doesn't think any of them should win and the legendary Italian named Kylian Mbappe, telling French TV show Tout Le Sport:

"Mbappe is a phenomenon.

"In Italy they compare him to [Roberto] Baggio, [Francesco] Totti, [Alessandro] Del Piero, but he has talent and technical quality that I've rarely seen in my career.

"For his qualities, what he does on the pitch and how decisive he was at the World Cup he deserves it [the Ballon d'Or]. I can't say the opposite."

Mbappe continues to impress. Image: PA Images
Mbappe continues to impress. Image: PA Images

Buffon has played with and against all the best in the world having won everything in the game, other than the Champions League.

The former Juventus keeper thinks that Mbappe could be up there with the best of all time, adding, "If he keeps wanting to be the best, if he retains his enthusiasm and continues to behave normally, then he can become that and stay the best for a long time."

Modric alongside Mbappe. Image: PA
Modric alongside Mbappe. Image: PA

Mbappe won Ligue 1 in his first season with PSG this year and then added the World Cup to his trophy cabinet that came with the award for best young player at the tournament.

It feels inevitable that at some point the 19 year old will eventually land the Ballon d'Or and arguably if he can't win it in the year he's won the World Cup then there could be some questions.

Who should win the Ballon d'Or?

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: Football News, PSG, Lionel Messi, Ballon d'Or, Gianluigi Buffon, Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric

Ryan is a writer for SPORTbible. He covers all sport from football, formula one, cricket, rugby, tennis, athletics, mma and wrestling. He obviously hates YOUR football team and has no interest in synchronised swimming.

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