Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has revealed what player he thinks should win football’s most coveted individual prize, the Ballon d’Or.
There may be two strong candidates from Chelsea this year, but it seems Tuchel is backing Jorginho rather than his fellow midfield star N’Golo Kante.
Speaking at the Sports Festival in Trento to Football Italia, he said: “Jorginho deserves to win the Ballon d’Or.
“He’s a very intelligent player and it’s a pleasure to be his coach. He has a great vision of football.
“For me, individual prizes don’t have great significance, it’s impossible to make a real comparison between several players of different roles.
“I would like one of my players to win it because I would know what the effect would be. Then Jorginho is a great person and an excellent player, but in general, it’s not the most important thing.”
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The 29-year-old Italian has had a very impressive 2021, winning plaudits along the way for his contribution to cup winning sides at club and national level.
Firstly, Jorginho helped a resurgent Chelsea lift the Champions League at the end of the club season, and has been a key player in his appearances for Chelsea so far this season.
He then helped Italy to win Euro 2020 the summer just gone, beating England on penalties in the final.
Jorginho is not a player who will get many goals due to the nature of his position and style of play. Instead, Jorginho is a deeper-lying player who likes to get on the ball and dictate the tempo of a game.
It is no secret he was the key to Maurizio Sarri’s suitably named ‘Sarriball’ at Napoli, and a key contributing factor to why he brought him to Chelsea with him.
However, after a tricky spell under former manager Frank Lampard, Jorginho has found a perfect spot for himself as Tuchel has managed to create a very strong blend for this Chelsea team.
Some might prefer the all-action energetic style of Kante, but Jorginho’s international success this summer might just give him the edge.
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