“If he did win trophies this year, he would have won the Ballon d'Or” - Jadon Sancho makes interesting claim about 30-year-old star
Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho has picked his favorites to win the 2024 Ballon d'Or. He named two Real Madrid players, Kylian Mbappe and his compatriot Harry Kane as the four best players in the world this season.
Sancho joined Borussia Dortmund on a six-month loan deal from Manchester United in January earlier this season. He started for the German side as they lost 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid on Saturday, June 1. He is now set to return to the Red Devils.
In a recent interview with CNN, Sancho was asked who he thinks will win the 2024 Ballon d'Or. He named Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham, and incoming Los Blancos star Kylian Mbappe. He also named Harry Kane, claiming the striker would've won the award had he won some trophies with Bayern Munich.
Sancho said (via Daily Mail):
"Vinicius, Bellingham, Mbappe and I would say Harry Kane. Harry Kane due to the goals he has scored, I think if he did win trophies this year he would definitely have won the Ballon d’Or.
"Vinicus and Jude are both fighting right now on who can win it – obviously they are close friends I’m not saying they are fighting – but they could win it. Mbappe has had an excellent season, everyone knows he gives goals, assists, he is a threat to any team in the world."
Harry Kane, 30, left his boyhood club Tottenham Hotspur to join Bayern Munich last summer for a reported fee of €120 million. He registered 44 goals and 12 assists in 45 games across competitions but the Bavarians failed to win any silverware.
Assessing Jadon Sancho's picks for 2024 Ballon d'Or
Harry Kane won the European Golden Shoe award, scoring 36 goals in 32 Bundesliga games. He also became the player with most goals in his debut season in the German top flight. A lack of trophies might hamper his chances of the Ballon d'Or unless he captains England to the UEFA Euro 2024 trophy.
However, England's win might boost Jude Bellingham's chances of Ballon d'Or further. The 20-year-old joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund last summer for €103 million and registered 23 goals and 13 assists in 42 games across competitions. He played a key role as Los Blancos won the Champions League, La Liga, and the Supercopa de Espana.
Vinicius Jr. also starred for Real Madrid, scoring 24 goals and providing 11 assists in 39 games across competitions. He was named the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season. He will also be a key player for Brazil at the 2024 Copa America.
Lastly, Kylian Mbappe had an excellent final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He recorded 44 goals and 10 assists in 48 games across competitions to help his side win the Ligue 1 title and the Coupe de France. Moreover, France are one of the favorites to win the Euro 2024, which could boost Mbappe's chances of winning the Ballon d'Or.