Former Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has backed Real Madrid ace Jude Bellingham to win the Ballon d’Or this year. According to Collymore, no player has been as impactful as the 20-year-old in the 2023-24 season.
Arguably the most prestigious individual accolade in soccer, the Ballon d’Or, goes to the player deemed to have outperformed all his peers over the previous season. Eight-time winner Lionel Messi and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo have been the two most frequent recipients, with the pair annihilating the competition over the last 15 years. Only two Real Madrid veterans, Luka Modric and Karim Benzema, have won the accolade in between.
Stan Collymore Claims Jude Bellingham Is A Shoo-In For 2024 Ballon d’Or
According to Collymore, Real Madrid will add another Ballon d’Or winner to their ranks this summer, as their No. 5, Bellingham, is by far the most deserving.
In his column for CaughtOffside, Collymore shared:
“What Bellingham is doing really is arguably the greatest achievement by an English player abroad and I say that going all the way back to the likes of John Charles who had a massive impact on Juventus, Denis Law, Jimmy Greaves, Liam Brady, Steve McManaman, David Beckham.
“Every week he’s been playing against the very best in the world and for a relative top-flight rookie to walk into that club with such confidence from day one is quite extraordinary. We’ve started to see him get forward that little bit more and score important goals, and he’s been the conduit for the rest of his team-mates at arguably the biggest club on the planet.”
He concluded by adding:
“He’s not the finished article by any means but show me another player that’s had a bigger impact on their club in terms of making them a consistent threat at home and abroad. You can’t find one. So it absolutely makes sense for him to be Ballon d’Or, and to do it at a club that can swallow you up and spit you out… I don’t think anybody else comes close this year.”
Bellingham Needs To Deliver In 2024 EURO To Seal Golden Ball
On paper, Real Madrid teammates Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. have been on the same level this season. While Bellingham has scored 23 goals and provided 12 assists in 40 games this season, Vinicius Jr. has bagged 23 goals and 11 assists in 37 appearances. Both have won La Liga and are in the UEFA Champions League final.
The only way Bellingham can edge out Vinicius Jr. is by delivering a masterclass for England in the 2024 European Championship. If he can help the Three Lions at least to the final, he will be a heavy favorite for the Ballon d’Or. Vinicius Jr., meanwhile, can boost his chances by firing Brazil to Copa America glory.
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