Rio Ferdinand believes that Jamal Musiala is deserving of winning the Ballon d’Or, while Owen Hargreaves thinks that Musiala is a player who would easily secure a spot in any team.

Jamal Musiala, the young talent from Bayern Munich, has been receiving high praise from former football stars Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves. Ferdinand believes that Musiala has the potential to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, while Hargreaves thinks that clubs should be doing everything they can to sign the midfielder.

At just 21 years old, Musiala has already made a name for himself with 25 caps for Germany and 153 appearances for Bayern Munich, winning four Bundesliga titles along the way. Ferdinand, speaking ahead of Bayern’s UEFA Champions League match against Lazio, spoke highly of Musiala’s abilities.

“He’s a fabulous footballer. In a world where we talk about stats and data, he ticks that box, but it’s on the eye test where he comes alive; the way he receives the ball, he’s elusive, he rides a tackle and gets through traffic with HD. He’s a fantastic footballer,” Ferdinand said.

Ferdinand also expressed his belief that Musiala’s potential is limitless. “I think the highest compliment I can give him is that I don’t know where his ceiling is. Most players even at 20/22 years old, you go ‘I think they are going to get to this level and that’s them.’ This guy has the potential to win the Ballon d’Or. I’ve said it before, he has the potential to do that if the path goes the right way for him and he’s in a successful team. That’s the platform and foundation for that.”

Hargreaves, a former Bayern Munich midfielder, has also been impressed by Musiala’s rapid development. “The hardest thing in football is to receive the ball in tight spaces on the half-turn and he makes it look so easy,” Hargreaves explained. “He rarely ever loses the ball, which is crazy. Normally technical players further up the pitch turn over the ball a lot, but Jamal just has a feel for it. He’s a super special player.”

Despite the praise, Bayern Munich has had a difficult season, with their Champions League campaign hanging in the balance and their Bundesliga title defence faltering. There has been speculation about Musiala’s future, as his contract with Bayern is set to expire in 2026. Hargreaves believes that if Musiala becomes available, there would be a long line of clubs vying for his signature.

“Everybody would want him because he walks into literally every team: Real Madrid, Man City, I think he plays for everyone,” Hargreaves said. “But Bayern won’t want to lose him, he’s too good at that age, a German national team player as well. If I was any team, I would say throw the kitchen sink at it, get the money out and buy him.”

As Bayern Munich prepares for their crucial Champions League clash against Lazio, fans can watch the match on TNT Sports and discovery+. TNT Sports offers multiple TV channels and digital channels for viewers to enjoy the game.