Kylian Mbappe believes that Gianluigi Buffon would be a worthy winner of the Ballon d'Or after a monumental season with Juventus, although he admits Cristiano Ronaldo is more likely to take the award.                                 Kylian Mbappe believes that Gianluigi Buffon would be a worthy winner of the Ballon d'Or after a monumental season with Juventus, although he admits Cristiano Ronaldo is more likely to take the award. 

Mbappe is so far the only man to put a goal past the Juventus goalkeeper in this year's Champions League knockout phase, but it was not enough to avoid a 4-1 aggregate defeat for Monaco in the semi finals. 

There are no hard feelings, though, as the teenager heaped praise on Buffon ahead of the competition's showpiece between Juve and Real Madrid in Cardiff next week.

"For all of his work, [Buffon] deserves the Ballon d'Or, but I think it depends on the Champions League final.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         If Real Madrid win, I think it will be Cristiano Ronaldo but otherwise, I think it would be good for Buffon to win the Golden Ball. "

Despite his admiration for Buffon, Mbappe's loyalties will be split as he watches the action at the Millennium Stadium. 

Leading Madrid will be Zinedine Zidane, the teenager's compatriot and his all-time idol on the pitch. 

"The one who made me love football was Zidane. Afterwards I developed several idols but really Zidane was my very first idol," he said, while also commenting on the comparisons he has invited with fellow legend Thierry Henry.