Ballon d'Or 2025: not Salah or Mbappé, Thierry Henry designates the favorite

Ballon d’Or 2025: not Salah or Mbappé, Thierry Henry designates the favorite

ByThe Mwebantu Team

The legend of French football, Thierry Henry, surprised the world of football by presenting Raphinha, the winger of FC Barcelona, ​​as the favorite for the Ballon d’Or this year. The former striker of Arsenal and the Blues praised the Brazilian after his double against Benfica, Tuesday evening, during the return match of the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Already a goalscorer, Raphinha shone in Spain again by scoring two goals which allowed the Blaugrana to win 3-1 and to validate their qualification for the quarter-finals.

Invited by CBS Sport to analyze the meeting, Thierry Henry praised the performances of the 28 -year -old, placing him in front of stars like Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) and Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) in the Golden Ball race.

“Raphinha leads to the balloon raceR, said Henry. He was incredible in the Champions League, scoring a lot of goals with a single penalty. »» The former French international also underlined the intensity and versatility of the Brazilian player: “ A full player is someone who presses, defend and help his lateral defend. Raphinha has everything for him. »»

With already 11 goals in the Champions League this season and a key role in Barça’s performances under the orders of Hansi Flick, Raphinha may well make a place among the pretellers to the prestigious individual trophy. It remains to be seen if he will manage to maintain this level of excellence until the end of the season.

The Mwebantu Team
The Mwebantu Team

Led by Nia, the insightful editor-in-chief, Kwame, our technology expert, and Amara, the bold field reporter, the Mwebantu team weaves the vibrant narrative of Africa every day, forging a narrative bridge between the continent and the world. Their shared passion illuminates the mission of Mwebantu News, making African voices resonate on the global stage.