Achraf Hakimi feels Kylian Mbappe “deserves” to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or award ahead of Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

WHAT HAPPENED? The Morocco international backed Mbappe to win football’s most prestigious individual award for the first time after seeing the Frenchman continue his brilliant start to the season by helping PSG to a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

WHAT THEY SAID: Speaking to beIN Sports France, Hakimi said: “Compared to what he did this last year, for me, he deserves to win the Ballon d’Or. He’s a great player and I hope he can win it this year.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Messi is currently the front-runner to bag his record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or after winning the World Cup in Qatar last year with Argentina. Haaland is also in the mix after scoring 56 goals in his debut season for Manchester City, who stormed to the treble.

Mbappe missed out on the World Cup title as France lost to Argentina in the 2023 final but he was the top scorer at the tournament and managed to fire 41 goals at club level for PSG in 2022-23.

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WHAT NEXT FOR PSG? Luis Enrique’s side will be next seen in action on Sunday in Ligue 1 against Marseille.