Mbappé’s Ballon d’Or Chances
Former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen, a Ballon d’Or winner himself in 2001, believes Kylian Mbappé stands a significant chance of clinching this year’s prestigious individual award. Owen highlighted Mbappé’s impressive tally of 40 goals for Real Madrid and his outstanding performances at the World Cup as key factors in his favour.
While acknowledging that Mbappé’s failure to secure a major title like the World Cup, La Liga, or the Champions League in the past year might count against him, Owen still places the French forward firmly in contention. He also considered Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as viable candidates. Owen noted that Dembélé, despite winning the Champions League, had a less impactful World Cup than Mbappé, while Kvaratskhelia, excellent for Paris Saint-Germain, did not participate in the World Cup, which could hinder his chances of winning the top prize.
Owen on Zidane and Jacquet
Beyond the Ballon d’Or race, Owen also reflected on his former Real Madrid teammate Zinédine Zidane, who was recently appointed as the new France national team manager.
Owen, who played alongside Zidane for a season at Real Madrid, described him as a ‘very special’ player and arguably the most technical he had ever played with. He lauded Zidane’s exceptional close ball control, skill, football intelligence, and finishing ability, calling it an honour to share the pitch with him. While Owen recalled that Zidane did not show overt signs of wanting to become a coach during their playing days, he suggested that such innate football intelligence naturally lends itself to a successful managerial career.
The former Reds striker also offered his assessment of a current Liverpool talent, Jeremy Jacquet. Owen expressed his admiration for Jacquet’s promising start to his career at Anfield. He noted that Jacquet has settled in ‘really well’ and has been impressed by his assured and mature displays. Owen added that Jacquet’s strength and ability to play with the ball at his feet suggest more positive developments are to come from the young player.