Somali national team manager, Said Abdi Haibeh, has said France midfielder, N’Golo Kante, deserves to win this year’s Ballon d’Or and not Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.
Messi is an annual favourite to win the individual award.
Although Barca endured a poor 2020/2021 campaign, the 34-year-old still finished the season with 33 goals and 13 assists in all competitions.
It puts Messi in prime position to claim the prize for a record seventh time.
Kante has impressed tremendously in the Chelsea midfield this season.
Ballon d’Or 2021: Didier Deschamps names player to win award
He was named man of the match in both legs of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid and won the prize again in the final against Manchester City.
“One player who has been underestimated is N’Golo Kante whom I was very lucky to meet in 2019 in London.
“He is a top player. There is a saying that goes ‘the world is covered 70 percent by water and the remaining 30 is covered by Kante.
“To see him win the Premier League with Leicester City and heading for Chelsea to win the league is incredible.
“He also helped the French national team win the Fifa World Cup before going ahead to win the Champions League.
“Right now, I believe he is definitely the right man to win the award 100 percent in my opinion,” Haibeh told Goal.
Kante opens up on possibility of winning Ballon d’Or
