As the dust settles on a rather dramatic 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony, Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson has been backed to claim the prestigious award one day.
This week saw Manchester City midfielder Rodri pick up the biggest individual prize in football for 2024, a decision that did not go down well at all within the Real Madrid camp due to Vinicius Jr being overlooked despite the Brazil forward being widely expected to win.
As a result, Los Blancos opted to boycott the ceremony entirely even though they claimed a host of other awards on the night, including Carlo Ancelotti being named as the best coach of the year and Jude Bellingham finishing third in the men’s Ballon d’Or rankings.
The aftermath has seen Vinicius take to social media and post a message signalling his determination to win the Ballon d'Or at some point in the future.
However, he may have strong competition from an in-form Chelsea star - and it’s not Cole Palmer.
Jackson, who was much-maligned for his profligacy in front of goal during his debut season at Stamford Bridge, has shown considerable improvement this year under new head coach Enzo Maresca, netting six times in nine Premier League appearances so far.
And in the view of Kalidou Koulibaly - the Blues forward's Senegal international teammate - the 23-year-old has ability to become the first African to win the Ballon d'Or since George Weah nearly three decades ago.
“I hope he will continue to score,” Koulibaly said in an interview with GiveMeSport. “We know for all strikers life is goals, and Nicolas is no different. He has a good attitude and personality. And for me, he'll become the story of Senegal, just like Sadio Mane did.
“I am always telling him he has to follow Mane. And I hope he will be the best player in Africa and why not in the world? He has the talent, so all things are at his feet.
“Nicolas has to believe he can be this good. That is the most important thing. All the players who have won the Ballon d'Or believed they could.
“They all thought they could win this trophy. So you have to put this in Nicolas' head.
“Of course, I don't tell him to be selfish and ignore his teammates, but he has to think about the Ballon d'Or, and if you put this image in his head, he can achieve it. And that's what I tell him all the time.”
