Arsenal star backed for Ballon d’Or – if Gunners win Premier League

Emmanuel Petit believes Arsenal could be celebrating a Ballon d’Or winner on top of a Premier League title triumph come the end of the season.

Arsenal, bidding to win their first league title since 2004, boast a four-point lead over second-placed Manchester City with 12 games remaining.

The Gunners finished as runners-up for three years in a row but look well-placed to finally end their wait for a Premier League trophy.

Arsenal drew 1-1 with Brentford in their last league game but will expect to return to winning ways on Wednesday night when they face bottom-placed Wolves.

Mikel Arteta’s side, who are still in all four competitions, then turn their attentions to Sunday’s huge north London derby against Tottenham.

Petit has backed Arsenal to clinch the Premier League for the first time in 22 years and says that could lead to even more silverware on an individual level.

The Ballon d’Or award, handed out to the best player in the world over the past 12 months, has never been won by an Arsenal star but Petit believes Declan Rice is the early frontrunner.

Rice has performed superbly across Arsenal’s Premier League and Champions League campaigns and will hope to play a big part in this summer’s World Cup before the Ballon d’Or ceremony in September.

‘Declan Rice is potentially leading the race for the Ballon d’Or, but don’t forget there is a World Cup at the end of the year,’ Petit told Ignition Casino.

‘I think that could be very important for him, but he and the Arsenal team definitely have to win something at the end of the season.

‘Declan Rice has been among the best midfield players for years now, but unfortunately, he has won nothing at Arsenal. If you want to be part of the greatest, you have to win titles, definitely.

‘You have to be one of the best players on the market, but you also have to win trophies. It doesn’t mean anything if people recognize you as one of the most special players on the pitch, but you don’t win anything at all.’

The closest Arsenal have come to having a Ballon d’Or winner was in 2003 when Thierry Henry finished second behind Juventus midfielder Pavel Nedved.

Rice, 27, has been arguably Arsenal’s most important player since his £105m move from West Ham in 2023.

As well as starring for the Gunners – being named in successive PFA Teams of the Year – the midfielder has helped England reach two European Championship finals.

Earlier this month Gary Lineker named Rice as one of the leading contenders for the Premier League Player of the Season award.

‘We were talking a bit earlier on with a few of the lads about the Player of the Year award and the possible frontrunners.

‘It’s only February so it’s early but if United continue to go really well and Bruno gets a few more goals and assists… I mean, who else would be in the running?

‘Erling Haaland will be if he starts scoring again which he will. Declan Rice and Gabriel, who is a fantastic defender.

‘There’s no one obviously at the moment m but he’s a bloody good footballer you know, Bruno Fernandes. He’s a really good player.’

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