Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jermaine Jenas believes that Luka Modric or N’Golo Kante deserve to win a Ballon d’Or.
The former Premier League star thinks that the award is always overlooking players that, although they perform brilliantly, their style of play hinders them in being recognised as a true great.
The prestigious award has been shared between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi since 2007 when Kaka was the last player to win it.
Jermaine Jenas believes that many players who have been deserving of the award have been overlooked because the amount of goals a player scores unfairly weights them ahead of the more creative individuals.
Players who are positioned in deeper roles like Andres Iniesta and Xavi have never won the award due to their lack of goals which is part of the reason that Messi and Ronaldo have dominated it for more than a decade, but Jenas feels that this shouldn’t be the case.
“You would like to think so [that others can compete for the Ballon d’Or],” BT Sports pundit Jenas told Goal. “I feel like we are in an era where there is a lack of respect to other footballers, even in light of what Messi and Ronaldo have done.
“What they have done is amazing but I feel like at the start of the season we just say whoever is best out of Messi and Ronaldo, gets the award. When you consider that players like Andres Iniesta or Xavi never won the Ballon d’Or then no one can.
“These two players, Messi and Ronaldo, don’t seem human and have had great seasons but if you really look at others players. Like Modric this year, [Franck] Ribery for Bayern a few years ago could have got it and he didn’t get a sniff.
“Now Kante is in that scenario, no matter what he does, he will get some recognition but never THE recognition for what he does. Even off the back of winning the World Cup, someone like Paul Pogba will get more plaudits. He had a great World Cup as well, but there’s a popularity thing as part of it.”
“I just watch football but the personality side of it is big too. [Paul] Pogba announced with Stormzy upon signing for Manchester United and the haircuts, I loved all that stuff. I came from an era where that would be unacceptable, where you kind of got told what to do.
“He puffs out his chest and he says, this is me, this is my style. You look at Kante, he looks like the shyest man in the world and from what I know from people who know him, he is extremely humble. There’s a lot to like about both but when it comes to getting noticed then Pogba is always going to be at the front.
“Pogba sells more shirts and he is big on social media. Kante has had great credit so far, but I don’t think he will ever win the Ballon d’Or.”
Kante will be a key part of Chelsea’s midfield this season as they look to get back into the top-four. They started with a 3-0 win over Huddersfield before coming out on top during a five-goal thriller with Arsenal. Up next for Sarri’s men is a trip to St. James Park as the Blues take on Newcastle on Sunday.
The post Kante or Modric deserves to win 2018 Ballon d’Or – Jenas appeared first on Squawka News.
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