Former Nigerian star Jay-Jay Okocha, the attacking midfield legend of Paris Saint-Germain, has called for French striker Kylian Mbappé to be awarded this year’s Ballon d’Or. Okocha’s remarks shine a light on the prestigious award race, which sees fierce competition among the world’s elite football players.
The British capital, London, is set to host the Ballon d’Or award ceremony on October 26, marking the 70th edition of the esteemed award. With the voting deadline approaching within the next ten days, anticipation is growing to find out the winner of the award that has long sparked debate and discussion among fans and critics alike.
Okocha explained in a statement to media reports that the excitement surrounding this year’s award is unprecedented, noting that there are no fewer than twelve strong candidates, including shining names like Harry Kane and Lamin Yamal, in addition to Kylian Mbappé, whom he considers the frontrunner.
The former Nigerian star affirmed Mbappé’s deservingness of the award, citing his exceptional scoring statistics. Mbappé topped the World Cup scoring chart with 10 goals, was the top scorer of the UEFA Champions League with 15 goals, and also led the scoring in La Liga with 25 goals. These remarkable achievements strengthen Mbappé’s position as a strong candidate for the Ballon d’Or and place his outstanding performance this season at the forefront of the football scene.
