“I was a ball boy”- Young Chelsea star reveals ‘crazy’ feeling of Ballon d’Or nomination alongside Messi

Chelsea star Mason Mount reveals ‘crazy’ feeling to be in contention for Ballon d’Or with PSG star Lionel Messi

Speaking in an interview with GQ Magazine, as quoted by Daily Mail, Chelsea star Mason Mount has revealed that it is a ‘crazy’ feeling to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or alongside PSG superstar Lionel Messi. 

The Blues playmaker had a stellar campaign last season as he contributed to 18 goals in 54 appearances. In doing so, he helped Chelsea win the Champions League before featuring in England’s road to the 2020 UEFA Euro final. 

These numbers and achievements led to him being amongst the 30 men nominated for the coveted Ballon d’Or award. Alongside him are several world-beaters, including one of the most obvious inclusions, PSG star Lionel Messi. 

The 22-year-old recently revealed in an interview that during his time as a ball boy, he saw the Barcelona legend during the club’s clash against the Blaugrana outfit in the 2011/12 UCL season. Mount claimed that it is a ‘crazy’ feeling to be nominated alongside the PSG superstar now.

‘When I was younger, I was a ball boy during a Barcelona and Chelsea match at Stamford Bridge and seeing him up close was amazing.

‘To see my name alongside the names I have looked up to all my life is crazy, Messi in particular.’

Could Mason Mount win the Ballon d’Or?

The young star is set to wear a tux for the grand ceremony on the 29th of November, an attire he admittedly does not don too often. However, he could stand an outside shout to lift one of the biggest individual awards in the game.

Luka Modric won the award in 2018 after lifting the UCL and leading his country to the FIFA World Cup final. While that may have been the case, there are some outstanding candidates this year, like Messi.

Regardless, this might not be the Cobham academy graduate’s last nomination if his performances are anything to go by. Moreover, he is not the only Chelsea man on the list, with Jorginho, Romelu Lukaku, N’Golo Kante, and Cesar Azpilicueta also nominated for the award.

If any one of them does end up lifting the award, it would make them the first player in the history of the club to win the glorious accolade. Thus, there is a lot to look forward to on Monday.

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A win for any one of the Blues nominees would be a win for the club as a whole. While the award is for individuals, it is undoubtedly a reflection of a team effort as well.

Chelsea’s UCL run and a late rally to finish in the top four of the Premier League last season was a team effort, where players like Mount, Lukaku, and Kante played a huge part.