The Metro reports that Robin Van Persie listed the three stars he thinks needs to be on the podium for the Ballon d’Or and snubbed both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Football’s most prestigious individual award will be earned by Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski, claims the retired Arsenal and Manchester United star.
In his list of top three, two names can be Premier League pair Kevin De Bruyne and Sadio Mane, of Manchester City and Liverpool respectively. It would be the first time since 2006 that neither Messi nor Ronaldo placed in the top three if Van Persie’s prediction comes to life.
Although Lewandowski, De Bruyne, and Mane have never been placed within the top three, only Luka Modric (2018) has captured the award ahead of the pair since 2007.
