{"id":344192,"date":"2025-12-12T23:43:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T23:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/344192\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T23:43:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T23:43:10","slug":"mason-greenwood-ballon-dor-claim-made-as-ex-man-united-star-backed-for-top-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/344192\/","title":{"rendered":"Mason Greenwood Ballon d’Or claim made as ex-Man United star backed for top award"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mason Greenwood left Manchester United to join Marseille in 2024 and the striker has now been backed to win the Ballon d’Or by his current manager in France<\/p>\n

21:18, 12 Dec 2025Updated 21:33, 12 Dec 2025<\/p>\n

\"MasonMason Greenwood has been backed to win the Ballon d’Or one day(Image: Catherine Steenkeste\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Marseille boss Roberto de Zerbi believes that former Manchester United<\/a> striker Mason Greenwood could win the Ballon d’Or one day.<\/p>\n

The forward left Old Trafford<\/a> permanently in a \u00a326.6million deal to join Marseille in July 2024<\/a>. The 23-year-old went on to score 22 goals alongside six assists across all competitions in his debut season for the French Ligue 1 team.<\/p>\n

Greenwood has not featured for United since January 2022, following an internal investigation by the club, which resulted in a decision that he would not continue to play for them after being charged with attempted rape, coercive control and assault in early 2022. Those charges were then dropped in February 2023, with Greenwood vehemently denying all allegations.<\/p>\n

The Reds academy graduate has scored 13 goals across all competitions so far this season – three of which have come in the Champions League<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And De Zerbi has backed Greenwood to win the Ballon d’Or while speaking to the media on Friday ahead of Marseille’s clash with Monaco.<\/p>\n

He said: “I see him every day, he has huge potential. I don’t see any other players in Europe at the same level.<\/p>\n

“He has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or. It will be up to him to decide whether he wants to do everything he can to fight for it or not.<\/p>\n

\"MasonMason Greenwood in action for Marseille. (Image: Gualter Fatia\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

“At the level of the qualities that nature has given him, that his parents have given him, I think he is worthy of the Ballon d’Or.<\/p>\n

“I would like him to be more consistent. I know he needs to press with more intensity, he needs to manage the ball better when the team is in trouble, not lose the ball easily but keep it to allow the team to move up because he has the ability to do it.”<\/p>\n

Greenwood, who has one England cap, switched international allegiances to Jamaica earlier this year. In August, he received his passport for the Caribbean country, opening the door for him to represent the nation of his grandparents.<\/p>\n

And that decision may now be easier with Thomas Tuchel dismissing the idea of an England<\/a> return. “I have not spoken to him until now,” he said in September.<\/p>\n

“I have not spoken to him or his camp. My understanding was that he tries to play for Jamaica so we didn’t give it another thought.<\/p>\n

“He was not in the mix at the moment and he is not in our thoughts for our team.”<\/p>\n

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