"I’d put them in the mix" - Bernd Schuster names Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona man as favorites for Ballon d'Or

Legendary footballer Bernd Schuster has backed Barcelona star Pedri for the Ballon d'Or this season. He believes that the midfielder is one of the best this season, along with Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe.

Speaking to Mundo Deportivo, Schuster said that Pedri should be the top contender for the Ballon d'Or this season. However, he believes that the next options should be Mbappe or Dembele. He said:

“It’s an opportunity for everyone, including coaches—who we often forget about. The whole world will be watching, all the top teams are there, and for certain players already in the conversation, this is a key moment to seal the deal. I’d put Dembélé, Mbappé, and Pedri in the mix. Pedri’s chances depend on what happens in the tournament—he’s had a spectacular season and I’d love to see him win it. But if not, then either Mbappé or Dembélé could take it.”

Vitinha and Nuno Mendes are the picks from Roberto Martinez for their contribution to PSG and Portugal this season. Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Barcelona's Raphinha are also in the race after their impressive season.

Barcelona star Pedri sets sights on Ballon d'Or

Pedri spoke to UEFA earlier this season and admitted that he wants to win the Ballon d'Or. He claimed that it has always been a dream of his, and Rodri winning it last year made him believe it is possible to achieve it. He said via GOAL:

"Since Rodri won it, it’s shown that a player who runs the midfield and dictates the tempo and the rhythm of the game can win a Ballon d'Or. I was really pleased he won it because aside from the season he had, I really enjoy playing with him when I’m with the national team. He’s a player who controls the game really well, wins the ball back, gets forward, scores goals – he’s everywhere on the pitch."

"It’s always been a dream of mine to lift the Ballon d'Or. But right now, there’s a month to go, and the focus is on the team – on winning the three trophies, which is what really matters and once that month’s over, we’ll see if we can start talking about things like that."

Pedri's Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal is also a leading candidate for the Ballon d'Or this season. The Spaniard has done well for club and country despite being just 17 years old.

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Sripad is a veteran Sportskeeda football journalist who has been with the company for around 10 years. His tryst with writing happened in class XI when he started penning blogs, and his foray into football was during the early 2000s, watching matches with his cousins.

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If given a chance to change a football rule, Sripad wants VAR to be fully automated and offside rules to be less stringent. When not working, he likes to watch past Formula 1 races and play FIFA.

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Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer