'Easily deserves it' - Liverpool legend Sadio Mane makes Ballon d'Or prediction

Sadio Mane has conceded he is unlikely to win the Ballon d’Or this year, insisting that Karim Benzema is a more deserving winner of the prestigious award.

The forward enjoyed a remarkable campaign for club and country as he scored 23 goals in his final season at Liverpool as the Reds won both the FA Cup and League Cup - but missed out on an unprecedented quadruple at the final hurdle - and also fired Senegal to both Africa Cup of Nations glory and World Cup qualification.

In contrast, Benzema netted 44 goals from 46 matches to lead Real Madrid to a La Liga and Champions League double, getting the better of Mane and Liverpool in last season's final in Paris, while also scoring the goals that booked France's place at this winter's World Cup.

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And while the Senegal international has maintained such scoring form since joining Bayern Munich in the summer, netting seven times from his first 13 appearances for the club, he concedes Benzema ‘easily deserves’ to win the Ballon d’Or ahead of him.

“Honestly, I think that Karim deserves it this year," Mane said after scoring for Bayern in their 5-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday. “He's had a great, great season with Real Madrid. He's won the Champions League.

“I think he easily deserves it, so I'm happy for him. I know I won the African Cup of Nations, it was a relief for me and for the whole country.

“I'm really happy to have won my first AFCON with my country, but I think it's Karim who deserves it, and I honestly believe that.”

The winner of this year’s Ballon d’Or will be announced at a glittering award ceremony in Paris on October 17.

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