Lionel Messi backed to win Ballon d’Or by Kylian Mbappe

Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe reckons that Lionel Messi deserves to win the 2019 Ballon d’Or.

Both players are on the 30-man shortlist for the prestigious award, with the winner set to be announced at a ceremony in Paris in December.

Messi was named the best men’s player at the Best Fifa Football Awards in September, finishing ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk. However, Van Dijk won the UEFA Player of the Year in August.

The trio are the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or, and Mbappe says he thinks the Barcelona captain should be given the Golden Boot.

He told Der Spiegel: “Messi. In individual terms, he was the best this year.”

Messi has won the Ballon d’Or five times in his career but somehow finished fifth last year, in a decision that was widely ridiculed.