CBS Sports pundits Micah Richards, Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher are all in agreement when it comes to who the next Ballon d'Or winner should be.
The former Premier League trio joined presenter Kate Abdo in the CBS studio on Tuesday night for the first-ever edition of the Champions League knockout play-offs.
A late goal from Jude Bellingham has given Real Madrid a one-goal advantage going into their second leg against Manchester City next week as Carlo Ancelotti's side secured a dramatic 3-2 win.
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Ousmane Dembele continued his superb form for Paris Saint-Germain as they thumped fellow Ligue 1 side Brest 3-0, while Juventus and Borussia Dortmund picked up wins over PSV and Sporting respectively.
After the full-time whistle, Abdo, Richards, Henry and Carragher touched on number of subjects, including Dembele’s "evolution" in front of goal, as well as City's pre-match Ballon d'Or tifo for Vinicius Junior.
And on the subject of the Ballon d'Or, they also predicted who the next winner should be.
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Carragher, who spent his entire 17-year career with boyhood club Liverpool, named Mohamed Salah as the player who should lift the prestigious prize that was last won by Manchester City midfielder Rodri.
Thierry Henry agreed with the statement. “I’m with Jamie," the Frenchman added. "Yeah, if he carries on like that.”
Even though he wasn't as sure as his fellow pundits, Micah Richards also named Salah as the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner. "He (Vinicius Junior) is my mate," he added. "But probably Salah as well.”
Henry mentioned how it "all depends on what they will win” at the end of the season before Richards added: “Yeah, Vini or Salah.”
Back in December, Carragher explained why Salah – who has scored 26 goals in all competitions for Liverpool this season – is the "number one" contender for the next Ballon d'Or.
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"I always think the Ballon d'Or revolves around an international tournament or the Champions League. It's always difficult for Egypt – I don't think they've won the Africa Cup of Nations with Salah – and obviously in a World Cup as well," Carragher said.
"The fact there's no tournament in the summer [helps Salah]. If Liverpool were to win the league and get into the Champions League final, or win it, [Kylian] Mbappe hasn’t started at Real Madrid as well as he would have liked, [Erling] Haaland is not at his best, I think those factors put together will be the best opportunity [Salah] has ever had to win the Ballon d'Or."
Carragher added: "He's probably number one right now. If he replicates what he's done in the first half of the season [in the second half], I think he wins the Ballon d'Or."
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Do you agree? Let us know in the comments.
Topics: Micah Richards, Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, CBS Sports, Champions League, Liverpool
Jack Kenmare