Ronaldinho hopes Kylian Mbappe wins the Ballon d'Or at Paris Saint-Germain

The soccer community may be about to witness the start of a new era with a new generation of players set to take center stage from now on. Ronaldinho believes Kylian Mbappe has what it takes to win the Ballon d’Or in the next few years, but the Brazilian legend hopes the French star is still at PSG by the time he wins the prize.

“A great player like him can have the chance to win the Ballon d’Or for any team, but as I love PSG, I want him to do it with PSG,” Dinho told AFP about Mbappe, who he calls “a good friend and a great player.“

Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or for a record eighth time in 2023, as he was widely regarded as the best player of the 2022-23 season thanks to his World Cup performance. But at 36 and in MLS, the Argentine star knows this may have been his last Ballon d’Or.

“If I dream for the ninth Ballon d’Or? No, no, I stopped thinking about the Ballon d’Or a while ago, and winning it was never a priority for me, especially now that I have achieved everything in my career. I think it’s the last Ballon d’Or and I’m happy to have achieved everything and be the player with 8 Ballon d’Ors,” he told L’Equipe.

Kylian Mbappe poses at the 2023 Ballon d’Or red carpet

Messi thinks Mbappe will have a battle with Haaland

Mbappe was recently in contention for the Ballon d’Or award, but he came up third in the vote behind Erling Haaland and Messi. In his acceptance speech, the Inter Miami star predicted both the Frenchman and Norwegian striker to compete for future awards.

“It’s going to be a nice fight between the two of them and between several other younger players around here. They both deserved it this year,” Messi said.

At 24, Mbappe has already won a World Cup as well as multiple titles with Paris Saint-Germain. Perhaps the only stain in his career is that he has yet to win a UEFA Champions League trophy. Haaland, on the other hand, has already tasted the continental glory following a fantastic first year in England, in which he celebrated the treble with Manchester City.

Will Mbappe stay at PSG?

Ronaldinho’s comments may have to do with the fact that Mbappe’s future at PSG looks up in the air. The striker’s deal at Parc des Princes is up at the end of the season, and whether he’ll stay in the French capital beyond June 2024 remains uncertain.

Mbappe appeared to commit to the club only a year ago, when he opted to sign a contract extension instead of joining Real Madrid as a free agent. But now he’s once again making headlines for a possible departure.

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Dinho made 77 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain between 2001 and 2003, but he was already in Barcelona when he won his first and only Ballon d’Or in 2005. Only time will tell us if Mbappe gets to do what he couldn’t, which is to receive the award as a PSG player.