Former Barcelona star tips Lewandowski, Jorginho for Ballon d’Or ahead of Messi

Former Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov has tipped Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea Jorginho as favourite players to win the player that deserves to win the Ballon d’ Or this year ahead of Paris Saint Germain striker, Lionel Messi.

According to Stoichkov, he stressed that the Blues midfielder, Jorginho, has a chance to win the Ballon d’ Or this year because of his achievement at Stamford Bridge and for the Italian national team.

“Jorginho? He has a chance to win [the Ballon d’ Or] this year for what he did with Chelsea and the national team. But it doesn’t depend on me, but on the journalists.”

Stoichkov, however, stressed that Lewandowski is the player who deserved to win the Ballon d’Or, having failed to win it in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I would vote for a player who has not done just one year, but 4-5 years at a high level. If he also won the Nations League and the World Cup I would give it to him.

“For me, however, [Robert] Lewandowski would deserve it,” Stoichkov told TMW.

Lewandowski and Jorginho will compete alongside Messi, who has already won the prestigious award six times.