No longer needing an introduction, African and Senegalese football legend El-Hadji Diouf has named the best player in the world right now. Speaking on Canal +, the former Liverpool man sees only one Real Madrid player outperforming Mohamed Salah… A duo now in the race for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
As is often said, Real Madrid’s season truly begins in February. This year, things seem to be following the same pattern. Struggling since the start of the campaign, Carlo Ancelotti’s side, which lost key matches towards the end of 2024, is now showing its claws again. Facing Manchester City’s Sky Blues in the Champions League, the Madrid side—written off by many—won both legs in style. Led by Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Rodrygo Goes, Real silenced all critics.
“Mbappé is Real’s number one asset”
Recently, on Canal +’s Les Grandes Bouches, this incredible performance was a major talking point. As a guest pundit, El-Hadji Diouf was in awe of Real Madrid’s display. While many praised the team’s collective effort, the former Senegalese football star focused on just one player: Kylian Mbappé. According to the ex-Liverpool forward (2002-2005, 80 matches, 6 goals), the French striker is on another level, and people need to acknowledge it.
“With all these great players who won last year and are at the peak of their careers and talent, today, Mbappé is Real Madrid’s number one player,” Diouf stated. “The team should even play for him so that Real can win titles. We’re talking about a team that struggled at the start of the season, but let’s not forget they are joint top with Barça. In the Champions League, everyone had written them off. People said Mbappé had destabilised the team, and now he’s back. As we speak today, he is the best player in the world alongside Mohamed Salah.”
A strong and logical choice
It’s a firm choice that many are likely to agree with. Since December, Kylian Mbappé has been putting in world-class performances. Despite a challenging start at Real Madrid, the 26-year-old striker has been dazzling for weeks, winning everyone over. Completely unleashed, KM9 is shining as a true number 9. Even before the blockbuster tie against Manchester City, in which he scored four goals across both legs, the former Paris Saint-Germain forward had made a strong case as a top contender for the 2025 Ballon d’Or.
At his current pace, he is well on his way to cementing himself as the undisputed best player in the world. While no one doubts his goal-scoring ability anymore, Kylian Mbappé will now have to hope that his team delivers in the remaining big matches to secure major titles—key factors that will weigh on the minds of Ballon d’Or voters. In any case, it’s hard to argue against El-Hadji Diouf when looking at the recent performances of the SM Caen owner, who now leads the Ligue 2 club.
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