Exclusive | Michael Owen: ‘Kylian Mbappé has a big chance to win the Ballon d’Or.’

Former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen recently spoke exclusively to Get French Football News about the Ballon d’Or award, discussing potential winners and reflecting on his own experience winning the prestigious accolade in 2001.

Owen noted that the campaigning for the Ballon d’Or today is vastly different from when he first received it. Back then, there was little buildup and campaigning; it was simply about being in a winning team and scoring goals. In contrast, social media now fuels discussions about who should be nominated and who will win, creating a much larger build-up and conversation around the award.

When asked about Kylian Mbappé's chances of winning the 2022 Ballon d’Or, Owen was confident in the French forward's prospects. Mbappé scored 40 goals for Real Madrid and Brazil during the 2022 World Cup, making him a strong contender. While he may not have won a major title during the World Cup year or the Champions League, Owen believed that his outstanding achievements were enough to put him in the running for the award.

Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia were also mentioned as viable candidates for the 2022 Ballon d’Or. Dembélé won the Champions League with Barcelona, but his World Cup performance wasn't as impressive as Mbappé's. Kvaratskhelia had an excellent season with Paris Saint-Germain, winning the Champions League, but he didn't participate in the World Cup. Despite these factors, Owen thought both players would likely be in the top three but would likely fall short of winning the award.

Owen also reflected on his time playing alongside former Real Madrid teammate and current France manager Zinedine Zidane. Owen described Zidane as an exceptional player with superb technical skills, a master of close ball control, and a football intelligence that set him apart from others. Although Zidane didn't display any coaching aspirations during their season together, Owen believed that his remarkable football intelligence would undoubtedly enable him to become a successful coach in the future.