According to a former Chelsea player, Nicolas Jackson has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or and rank among the top scorers in the world of football in the near future.
According to a former Chelsea player, Nicolas Jackson has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or and rank among the top scorers in the world of football in the near future.
Jackson was signed by Chelsea for £32 million in June 2023 after an outstanding La Liga season with Villarreal, with the 23-year-old striker coming under scrutiny for his wastefulness in front of goal, including one from club legend Mikel Obi after the 2024-2024 league opener against Manchester City.
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However, the Senegalese appear to have turned a new leaf, netting six goals and providing three assists in his last eight league matches.
Former Chelsea star on Jackson’s Ballon d’Or potential
Kalidou Koulibaly has expressed confidence that Nicolas Jackson possesses the potential to rise further in his career and compete for football’s top individual awards.
Speaking to Give Me Sport via the Daliy Mail, Koulibaly stated, “I hope he will continue to score. We know for all strikers life is goals, and Nicolas is no different. He has a good attitude and personality. And for me, he’ll become the story of Senegal, just like Sadio Mane did.
“I am always telling him he has to follow Mane. And I hope he will be the best player in Africa and why not in the world? He has the talent, so all things are at his feet.
“Nicolas has to believe he can be this good. That is the most important thing. All the players who have won the Ballon d’Or believed they could. They all thought they could win this trophy. So you have to put this in Nicolas’ head.
“Of course, I don’t tell him to be selfish and ignore his teammates, but he has to think about the Ballon d’Or, and if you put this image in his head, he can achieve it. And that’s what I tell him all the time.”
Koulibaly emphasised that Jackson could potentially become the first African to claim the Ballon d’Or since George Weah’s historic win nearly thirty years ago.
