Arsene Wenger backs Mesut Ozil for future Ballon d’Or win

Arsene Wenger admits that Mesut Ozil is not one of the favourites to win this year’s Ballon d’Or award – but is backing the Arsenal playmaker to scoop the prize in future years.

The Germany international was named on the 23-man shortlist for the prestigious Fifa accolade last week among the likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.

But although Wenger does not expect to see the 25-year-old win the prize this year, the Frenchman feels that club-record signing Ozil is more than capable of scooping it in the future.

“This season I don’t think he’s one of the favourites,” said Wenger. “Is he good enough to win it in the future? I think yes.”

He continued: “What he has brought to the team is exceptional technical quality, his vision, his absolute desire to play collectively with other players in a very strong way.

“He’s a player who has only one master – that is football. That means he does always what the game demands and his ego doesn’t stand in the way of his game. All the great players have that.”