5-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo has backed Kylian Mbappe to win the award this yr, tipping Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal to offer his competitors.
Al-Nassr ahead Ronaldo, like his nice rival Lionel Messi, was left off the 30-man shortlist for the 2024 version of world soccer’s most prestigious particular person honour.
It’s the first time since 2003 that neither man has featured among the many nominees, having shared the prize amongst them solely from Ronaldo’s first triumph in 2008 to his final in 2017.
With a first-time winner assured, Ronaldo has offered his backing to Mbappe, who completed third within the voting final yr, behind Messi and Haaland.
Mbappe scored 44 targets and offered 10 assists in all competitions all through his ultimate season with Paris Saint-Germain in 2023-24, earlier than finishing his long-awaited transfer to Actual Madrid.
Ronaldo – Madrid’s all-time main scorer with 450 targets for Los Blancos – believes every part on the Santiago Bernabeu is ready as much as make Mbappe’s tenure a hit.
“I feel he’ll do nicely. The construction of the membership… it’s good, it’s good,” Ronaldo mentioned on his YouTube channel.
“They’ve a terrific coach and the president, Florentino [Perez], who has been there many, a few years.
“I feel it gained’t be an enormous downside due to his expertise. Mbappe may be the subsequent Ballon d’Or winner. Him, [Erling] Haaland, [Jude] Bellingham or Lamine [Yamal].”
Madrid gained their record-extending fifteenth European Cup/Champions League crown final season, coming via dramatic ties towards Manchester Metropolis and Bayern Munich earlier than beating Borussia Dortmund within the ultimate.
Their knockout success has led some to recommend fortune tends to favour them within the huge moments, however Ronaldo says they make their very own luck.
“Madrid is the sort of workforce the place they don’t rush beneath stress. Folks say they’re fortunate within the Champions League,” he mentioned.
“No, they don’t seem to be fortunate. They’re ready for this type of second. The Bernabeu has that totally different aura.
“Now, if you happen to say that Madrid are going to be higher or not, we don’t know. Mbappe is there now, I feel Madrid will keep robust, however I don’t know if they are going to be higher than final yr. Solely God is aware of.”