Neymar was asked to give his prediction on the top 3 ranking for the next Ballon d’Or. If he showed chauvinism by quoting two Brazilians, the “Ney” has, in a pirouette of which he has the secret, still had a thought for his former teammate at PSG, Kylian Mbappé.
Still sidelined due to injury, Neymar was asked by Brazilian journalist Isabela Pagliari about his prediction for the next Ballon d’Or. Unsurprisingly, the top scorer in the history of the Auriverde selection (79 goals) was chauvinistic, and placed two of his compatriots on the podium.
“Vinicius Junior is first, Rodrygo and Bellingham are tied for second,” said the Al-Hilal player to the journalist.
A podium… for four
But the former Paris Saint-Germain player has not forgotten his former friend Kylian Mbappé, with whom relations had been refreshed in recent months in Paris. The Frenchman’s place in the Ballon d’Or rankings? “Mbappé enters the fray in third place,” he mischievously assured, despite the presence of the Vini-Rodrygo-Bellingham trio already mentioned.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or will be awarded on October 28, during a ceremony organized at the Théâtre du Châtelet. Both crowned European champions with Real Madrid, the Brazilian Vinicius and the Englishman Jude Bellingham are big favorites for the coronation. Their journey with their selection, respectively engaged in the Euro and the Copa America, could end up deciding between them.
Romain Daveau RMC Sport journalist
