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Sergio Ramos has backed Kylian Mbappé for Ballon d'Or despite trophy shortfall
Legendary former Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has thrown his weight behind ex-Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappé to clinch the Ballon d'Or award this year, despite acknowledging that the French star had a relatively quiet season in terms of major club trophies.
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Ramos and Mbappé shared the pitch for two seasons at Parc des Princes between 2021 and 2023. While Ramos now plies his trade in Mexico with Monterrey, Mbappé made a high-profile move to Real Madrid last summer.
Mbappe debut season at Real Madrid
His debut season at the Santiago Bernabéu started slowly, but he found his rhythm in the latter half of the campaign.
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Despite winning the Spanish Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup in the first half of the 2024-25 season, Real Madrid's domestic aspirations ultimately fell short.
Barcelona secured both La Liga and the Copa del Rey, and their Champions League title defense ended abruptly with a surprising 5-1 quarter-final defeat to Arsenal.
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Nevertheless, Mbappé's individual statistics for Real Madrid in his debut season were phenomenal. He finished with a record-breaking 43 goals in 56 games across all competitions, including a remarkable 31 goals in La Liga, earning him the European Golden Shoe.
What Ramos said
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Ramos emphasised that the Ballon d'Or is an individual award with fluid criteria, making a strong case for Mbappé over other candidates such as Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha, who notably won the Champions League with PSG and domestic titles with Barcelona respectively.
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"I [will] always give it to Mbappé. Not just out of friendship, but also because he has put in some impressive performances," Ramos stated.
He continued, "It's a decisive trophy, but you never know what the criteria are for the Ballon d'Or... He scores goals, won the Golden Boot, even though Madrid hasn't won other titles that other teams have won."
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The four times Champions League winner, Ramos further elaborated, highlighting the individual nature of the accolade.
“These are individual awards, not collective ones, but there are some very interesting players who have won leagues and cups. It's the little details that will make the difference, and in the end, it depends on one's own opinion.
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“If it were up to me, I think Kylian would have the peace of mind of taking home four or five Ballons d'Or in five or 10 years. He has the talent, even if Madrid didn't have a year full of titles, he had a great season and showed that he was a player of this level,” he said.
The Ballon d'Or criteria typically consider individual performances, decisive and impressive character, team performances and achievements, and class and fair play.
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