Sadio Mane should've won the Ballon d’Or, proclaims Idrissa Gana Gueye
PSG star Idrissa Gana Gueye feels that his Senegal national teammate Sadio Mane has been robbed of the Ballon d’Or and at the very least deserved to finish in the top three. Lionel Messi claimed the prestigious individual prize for the sixth time with Virgil Van Dijk close behind in the rankings.
The Ballon d’Or winner was announced on Monday during the Gala in Paris and Barcelona captain managed to lift the golden ball for the sixth time in his career. He became the first man to lift the individual prize for six times and in that process defeating Cristiano Ronaldo, who was tied with Messi at 5. The Argentine defeated Virgil Van Dijk and Cristiano Ronaldo who came second and third respectively.
Sadio Mane finished fourth behind Ronaldo despite a magnificent season with Liverpool and national team Senegal where he won the Champions League and the Premier League's Golden Boot. His national teammate and former Premier League star Idrissa Gana Gueye has admitted that Mane deserved to win the trophy or at least finish in the top three, given his performances over the course of the season.
“He deserved to be on the podium. For me, he deserved the Ballon d'Or or at least the podium. Unfortunately, he is fourth and that's a shame. I feel sad for him. It is a source of pride for all of Senegal. With what he did last season, he really deserved better,” said Gueye to the Goal.
Mane further oozed class in the Merseyside derby, scoring one and assisting 2 in Liverpool’s 5-2 win over Everton. The 27-year-old has scored 13 goals and provided four assists in 21 games in all competitions this season, finishing last season with 26 goals and five assists in all competitions. Crystal Palace midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate also spoke on Mane’s chances and went on to admit that the Liverpool star would have won the Ballon d’Or if he would be a South American or a European.
“For me, this Ballon d'Or is for Sadio Mane, there is no doubt about that. Listen, if Sadio was a Brazilian or a European there would not have been no debate. It would have been him for the award straight away and it's not because I play with him at international level, or because I know him; it's just what people who watch football feel. Just go back and watch what he did for both club and country and you will see in between the lines that no one has been better than him,” said Kouyate reported Goal.