Arsenal and France national team legend, Thierry Henry, has backed a Real Madrid superstar to win the Ballon d'Or award for the 25/26 season next month.
Yesterday, the 30 nominees for the 25/26 Ballon d'Or were officially announced, with Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Marc Cucurella the four Real Madrid representations.
There has been a lot of clamour for Mbappe to win the award, including from the man himself, who in a recent interview with French magazine L'Equipe, admitted that he would vote for himself to win the award (if he was a journalist).
Well, on CBS' coverage of the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, French legend Thierry Henry gave his take on who should win: "It's not as easy as it was last year. Remember when I said [Ousmane] Dembele, Dembele, Dembele it was clear to see that iw was going to be that (Dembele winning).
I think this year it's a bit more complicated, because the guys that shine - sometimes if you look at it here; Harry Kane, you know - it's not me (deciding this) but the best player in Germany last year was Michael Olise.
If you ask people in England who had the best World Cup (of English players), they would say Jude Bellingham. But then I move onto Jude Bellingham, you will say that maybe his season wasn't too great at Madrid.
Then you go to Rodri, he was outstanding at the World Cup, player of the tournament, but he didn't play so much during the season. Lamine Yamal you will say didn't have a good World Cup just because also remember he arrived injured.
And so we move onto Erling Haaland, how are you gonna bypass the fact that this guy scores in any angle and in every angle. I think he's below some of the players that I mentioned.
Then you go to Kvaratskhelia, he was not in the World Cup. Then you move onto Lionel Messi, and I think if they won [Argentina] won the World Cup they would have brought the Ballon d'Or and the World Cup to him, if he won it, but he didn't unfortunately for him.
That leaves you with for me Michael Olise, [and also] that is very close to my favourite - Kylian Mbappe. And yes people will tell me that he didn't win anything. [...] I think some people need to do their research on that one.
That some Ballon d'Or winner won won it without winning [trophies] the previous year, obviously because you get voted the year after, you got (understand) me.
For me it's Kylian. When you see what he has achieved individually and because those guys (the other nominees) you can always bring something that's kind of not (perfect) you know. Top scorer in the Champions League, top goalscorer in La Liga, and also at the World Cup.
Michael Olise has the same thing in terms of assists, that's just crazy. And if you think of the amount of goals he has already got in the World Cup, and also in the Champions League.
It's just crazy when you think about it. So, I just wanted to explain that, there are a lot of candidates, and they are not just Mickey Mouse candidates in all fairness, but I will personally go with him (Mbappe), Michael Olise close.
