Rio Ferdinand has backed Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala to win the Ballon d’Or during his career.
The 20-year-old has established himself as one of the brightest talents in Europe, with seven goals and three assists to his name for Bayern this season.
Musiala finished second behind Jude Bellingham in the voting for the Kopa Trophy in 2023, awarded to the best Under-21 player in the world, and was third in each of the previous two years.
Before joining Bayern in 2019, Musiala was at Chelsea’s academy for eight years, but the Blues were unable to keep hold of the midfielder as he opted to continue his development in Germany.
That has proven to be a significant blow for Chelsea, and Ferdinand predicts it could turn out to be even more costly in the years ahead.
“I love Musiala,” Ferdinand told TNT Sports. “We talk about him a lot. I don’t know where his ceiling is.
“It’s nice to see the comments from his team-mates saying how diligent he is and how much of a professional he is. [Leon] Goretzka says he might be the best talent Germany have ever had.
“The way he moves and glides with the ball. I see a Ballon d’Or at some point in his career if he fulfils that potential.”
It has been frustrating season for Bayern, with Thomas Tuchel’s side five points off the pace in the Bundesliga and needing to overturn a deficit in the Champions League, after losing the first leg in their last-16 tie against Lazio.
Despite the club’s struggles, Ferdinand is confident Musiala’s stock will only continue to rise as he praised the midfielder’s mentality.
“He doesn’t seem like the type that’s going to get too high when he’s winning or too low when it’s not going well,” Ferdinand continued.
“He seems like a very balanced, measured kid with the right people around him. That goes a long way and means there’s a real good possibility of him staying at the top for a sustained period.
“It’s the ones who get too high when it’s going well, who lose themselves and fall off a cliff after two or three years at the top. This kid will be at the top for the next 10-12 years.”
