Manchester United box-to-box midfielder Paul Pogba has his compatriot N’Golo Kante to win the Ballon d’Or ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Kanté, 30, was in excellent form for Chelsea during their Uefa Champions League success last season.
The tireless French midfielder, who has gone strength to strength since his arrival at Stamford Bridge, picked up the Player of the Match award in the club’s 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid in the Round of 16, second leg clash, before taking home two MOTM awards in both semi-final clashes against Real Madrid.
Kanté, then end it up with another man of the match award after deliver a phenomenal performance in the final against Manchester City, who believed they’re favourite to win the prize.
The 30-year-old, who has previously delivered eye-catching performances in Europe’s most elite competition, dominated the midfield in his side’s 1-0 win over Pep Guardiola’s side.
Both Ronaldo and Messi dominated the Ballon d’Or award from 2008 until Croatian playmaker Luka Modric snapped up France Football’s coveted prize in 2018.
Barca talisman Lionel Messi won his record-breaking sixth Ballon d’Or in 2019 ahead of Virgil van Dijk and Christiano Ronaldo, while the 2020 edition of the award, which believed should be collected Robert Lewandowski due to outstanding performances across the Europe was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Now, United box-to-box midfielder Pogba believes that Kante is in a strong enough position to challenge for the 2021 Ballon d’Or award.
Paul, 28, added that his fellow France teammate’s case was strengthened with Ronaldo and Messi’s absence from the Champions League semi-finals.
Pogba told Eurosport France’s FC Stream Team podcast: ‘What I would like to say to the whole world is that the ‘NG’ we have seen in recent months has always been the same.
N’Golo
Kante masterful display in Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Manchester City
‘We talk a lot about
his performances but he has always been as good as ever.
‘There was no
Cristiano and Messi in the semi-final, so it’s good to see the performances of
the midfielders or even the defenders.
‘I said a long time
ago that it would be appropriate, if Chelsea won, for him to win the Ballon
d’Or. It would be deserved, too.’
N’Golo Kante standout performances against Real Madrid
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