As if Manchester United fans needed any reminding, the complete absence of any Red Devils in the 30-strong Ballon D’Or shortlist was a brutal reminder as to how far the Premier League giants have fallen.
At least, while Erik ten Hag’s side continue to stumble on in the present, the future looks bright once again at Old Trafford.
With Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo nominated, Manchester United account for 20 per cent of the 2024 Kopa Trophy contenders.
Last season’s FA Cup final heroes will compete with the likes of Savinho, Lamine Yamal and former United target Joao Neves to be named the finest young talent in the game.
The absence of Jamal Musiala from the senior, Ballon D’Or list, meanwhile, has raised no end of eyebrows in Bavaria and beyond.
Joshua Zirkzee headlines Manchester United’s ex-Bayern stars
‘Incomprehensible’ was the verdict of a stunned Max Eberl in DPA, the Bayern chief suitably baffled.
Bayern legend Lothar Matthaus was equally confused, insisting to Sky Germany that Musiala – who he once likened to a young Lionel Messi – ‘has everything needed to win the Ballon d’Or’.”
Matthaus argues that Musiala – nothing short of dazzling at Euro 2024 – was robbed of a place on the shortlist due to the struggles of his club as a whole. Bayern, after all, finished a lowly third in the Bundesliga under Thomas Tuchel.
But FC Hollywood’s underwhelmed audience can rest a little easy, in the knowledge that the one-time Chelsea and Southampton youngster is in no rush to leave the Allianz Arena to further his chances of individual acclaim.
“I am very happy at FC Bayern and fully focused on our goals with the club and the national team,” Musiala tells Welt am Sonntag. “I am not too worried about where I will be playing in five years. Things can always change quickly in the world of football.”
Jamal Musiala laughs of Red Devils suggestions
Man United, during their first summer under Ineos control, signed not only Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui but another former Bayern Munich player in £35 million striker Joshua Zirkzee
A close friend of the twinkle-toed playmaker, Zirkzee joked after joining United that he had ‘tried’ to lure Musiala to Old Trafford having spent the summer holidaying with the £120 million-rated Musiala in Los Angeles, per TEAMtalk.
And, not that he needed to really, Musiala was quick to point out that Zirkzee was not so much playing the role of ‘agent Joshua’. But instead issuing a harmless response to a very hypothetical question.
“You always joke around with friends and dream of playing together in the same team one day,” Musiala adds with a smile. “The jokes go both ways. I also told Josh that he should come back to Bayern!
“But you shouldn’t take that too seriously.”
After breaking the twenty barrier for Goals and Assists in 2023/24, Musiala’s joyous performances at the European Championships on home soil felt like confirmation of his arrival as a truly world-leading talent.
“Jamal was one of the outstanding players at the Euros. He was voted into the best XI and was one of the tournament’s top scorers,” adds Eberl.
“FC Bayern also reached the semifinals of the Champions League thanks to Jamal’s great performances. The fact that he is now not even among the 30 best players of the past season is completely incomprehensible to us.
“In our eyes, Jamal is one of the most fascinating players in international football with absolutely extraordinary, unique skills. We are very proud of what he does for FC Bayern and also for the national team.”
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
