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Newcastle United forward Allan Saint-Maximin has made a bold claim about his potential to win the Ballon d'Or in the future.
The 25-year-old spoke about several issues in an interview with Goal.com, including his hopes of making the French squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Saint-Maximin was also asked about the highest individual award in football. He replied that although he might be far from being in contention, he believes he has the ability to one day be in the running. He said:
“When I talk about the Ballon d'Or, it's a dream. I think any player dreams of winning the Ballon d'Or. It's a kid's dream. Of course, I am very far from the Ballon d'Or at the moment, but in terms of quality, I think I'm able to do it.”
Saint-Maximin has scored five goals and provided four assists in 32 Premier League appearances to help the Magpies climb up the table to 10th place.
The former Monaco man has starred for France across all youth levels but is yet to make his senior bow for Didier Deschamps' side.
He notes that the competition for places in the world champions' squad is intense but retains hopes of being called up. He used Christopher Nkunku as a good example of good form at club level being rewarded with a maiden senior call-up.
Karim Benzema leads the way in the running for the 2022 Ballon d'Or
The Ballon d'Or is the most anticipated individual prize in football. As we approach the home-run end of the season, attention has turned to deserving winners.
Earlier in the campaign, the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappe had a strong case for the award. However, their respective clubs' underperformance on the continent has reduced their chances.
Liverpool duo Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah also have a huge shout this season. Their claim could be boosted if the Reds claim an unprecedented quadruple.
This, coupled with Senegal's AFCON triumph earlier in the year, gives Mane a high standing. However, in the current standings, Karim Benzema is arguably the runaway favorite for the most coveted prize in football.
The France international has come alive in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Champions League. He has played a key role in guiding Los Blancos to the final. He has scored 15 goals in the competition so far and 43 goals in 43 games across competitions. He has already won the La Liga title and the Supercopa de Espana.
Benzema will hope to step up to the plate in his hometown to guide Real Madrid to a 14th European crown later in the month. If he manages it, the 34-year-old could well be crowned the best player in the world.
