Arsenal prodigy Ethan Nwaneri has always been tipped for greatness. But the teenage sensation has now made his ambitions within the next five years clear: he wants to win football’s most prestigious individual prize, the Ballon d’Or.
At just 18 years old, Nwaneri is already making waves in the football world. Having made history by becoming the youngest player in the Premier League when he made his debut as a substitute for Arsenal at just 15 in 2022, he is gradually cementing his spot in the first team at the Emirates.
In a recent interview with talkSPORT, Nwaneri said his five-year goal is to be one of the top three best players in the world. When asked if that meant he wanted to be a Ballon d’Or contender, he replied:
Nwaneri was handed his debut start by Mikel Arteta against Bolton in the EFL Cup in the just-concluded season, where he showed his class by scoring a brace as Arsenal strolled to a 5-1 win. He was also named as a starter in some Premier League matches in Bukayo Saka’s absence. He ended the 2024-25 campaign with nine goals in 37 appearances.
While Ethan Nwaneri is yet to get himself into the Ballon d’Or conversation, there are no doubts that the Englishman has what it takes to compete for top individual awards in the sport. One of Nwaneri’s England U-21 teammates, CJ Egan-Riley, described the Arsenal prodigy as a special player and believes he can achieve greatness in the sport.
Egan-Riley told talkSPORT:
It remains to be seen if Nwaneri will win the Ballon d’Or in the coming years.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel’s journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles’ fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium’s incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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