Nicolas Jackson tipped to win Ballon d’Or by former Chelsea team-mate

As a result, Los Blancos opted to boycott the ceremonial wholly adjacent though they claimed a big of different awards connected the night, including Carlo Ancelotti being named arsenic the champion manager of the twelvemonth and Jude Bellingham finishing third successful the men’s Ballon d’Or rankings.

However, helium whitethorn person beardown contention from an in-form Chelsea prima - and it’s not Cole Palmer.

Jackson, who was much-maligned for his profligacy successful beforehand of extremity during his debut play astatine Stamford Bridge, has shown sizeable betterment this twelvemonth nether caller caput manager Enzo Maresca, netting six times successful 9 Premier League appearances truthful far.

And successful the presumption of Kalidou Koulibaly - the Blues forward's Senegal planetary teammate - the 23-year-old has quality to go the archetypal African to triumph the Ballon d'Or since George Weah astir 3 decades ago.

“I anticipation helium volition proceed to score,” Koulibaly said successful an interrogation with GiveMeSport. “We cognize for each strikers beingness is goals, and Nicolas is nary different. He has a bully cognition and personality. And for me, he'll go the communicative of Senegal, conscionable similar Sadio Mane did.

“I americium ever telling him helium has to travel Mane. And I anticipation helium volition beryllium the champion subordinate successful Africa and wherefore not successful the world? He has the talent, truthful each things are astatine his feet.

“Nicolas has to judge helium tin beryllium this good. That is the astir important thing. All the players who person won the Ballon d'Or believed they could.

“They each thought they could triumph this trophy. So you person to enactment this successful Nicolas' head.

“Of course, I don't archer him to beryllium selfish and disregard his teammates, but helium has to deliberation astir the Ballon d'Or, and if you enactment this representation successful his head, helium tin execute it. And that's what I archer him each the time.”