Teammate predicts Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk as Ballon d'Or winner

Mudryk has faced challenges since his move to Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk for a record-breaking £89m in January 2023, managing to score only seven goals and provide five assists in 62 games.

The 23-year-old winger was not included on the list of nominees for the 2024 Ballon d’Or – which was revealed earlier this week – with the winner of the award being crowned the best individual player in world football.

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or more than any other footballer in history – eight times – in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023 respectively.

But Georgiy Sudakov, who plays for Ukraine internationally with Mudryk, feels the Chelsea winger could follow in Messi’s footsteps because he has ‘no upper limit’.

‘Mykhailo is an incredible player, he has no upper limit and he can win the Ballon d’Or with his qualities,’ Sudakov told The Guardian.

‘But everything depends only on him. I believe he will be able to show his best qualities. Ukraine is an incredibly talented country and he is a great example for us to follow.’

Mudryk warned Chelsea fans over their ‘expectations’ for him in the 2024-25 campaign this summer.

Chelsea supporters are keen to see Mudryk reach his full potential – especially given he is under contact until 2031 – and hope he’ll improve this term.

One Blues fan, @anishpokharel29, reached out to Mudryk and posted on Instagram: ‘Misha, what can we expect from you for [the 2024-25] season?’

Mudryk replied: ‘Expectations are [what] kills our happiness.’

He has made four appearances so far in 2024-25 – two in the Premier League and two in the UEFA Conference League play-offs.

Mudryk has provided one assist across those four games, which came in the second-leg clash against Servette.