Ronaldinho backs “great friend” Kylian Mbappe to win Ballon d’Or

Ronaldinho has backed his “great friend” Kylian Mbappé to win the Ballon d’Or at some point in the future, describing Real Madrid as the perfect club for him.

The France international made the move to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2024, becoming the latest ‘Galactico’ at the Spanish giants.

Mbappe left Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent after cementing his status as a World Cup winner and the club’s all-time top scorer.

After years of speculation, the 26-year-old finally made the switch to Madrid, and the club is expected to support him in his quest for the prestigious Golden Ball.

Mbappe has scored 33 goals for Real Madrid this season

Ronaldinho, the Brazilian legend who won the Ballon d’Or in 2005 after leaving PSG for Barcelona, believes that Mbappe is on track to be recognised as the world’s best player in the near future.

Ronaldinho told L’Equipe: “He is of course one of the players I like a lot. He is a great friend. He is also someone I respect for everything he does in life. I am very happy that he came to the Spanish Championship.

“We have a bit of the same trajectory after Paris… except the club! But he is also in a historic club which should allow him to flourish and achieve the important things that he is missing.”

Kylian Mbappe has scored 33 goals in his debut season with Real Madrid, bouncing back from a slow start to meet the high expectations set for him.

Already a two-time trophy winner with Los Blancos, the French forward is now focused on adding La Liga and Champions League titles to his collection before the 2024-25 season concludes.