AFCON 2025
Former Chelsea defender and AFCON winner with Senegal, Kalidou Koulibaly is backing compatriot Nicolas Jackson for greatness.
He believes Jackson has what it takes to win the Ballon d’Or if he keeps working hard and delivering on his potential.
Jackson, 23, faced intense criticism after joining Chelsea for £32 million from Villarreal, but after a slow start to life in the Premier League, he finished his debut season with 14 goals.
This season, he’s silenced his doubters with six goals and three assists in 12 games.
Koulibaly backs Jackson to win Ballon d’Or at Chelsea
Koulibaly, who now plays for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, is thrilled to see his fellow Senegalese international thrive under Enzo Maresca.
“I speak all the time with Nicolas because he’s my international teammate,” Koulibaly told GiveMeSport.
“He’s a young player who I like. I speak a lot with him.”
Koulibaly’s advice to Jackson is simple yet powerful:
“Nicolas has to believe he can be this good. That is the most important thing. All the players who have won the Ballon d’Or believed they could. They all thought they could win this trophy.”
He emphasizes the importance of confidence without selfishness.
“Of course, I don’t tell him to be selfish and ignore his teammates, but he has to think about the Ballon d’Or, and if you put this image in his head, he can achieve it. And that’s what I tell him all the time.”
