PSG captain Thiago Silva says Liverpool ace Sadio Mane deserves to be mentioned among the Ballon d'Or contenders.
Last Thursday in Singapore, Brazil and Senegal played out a 1-1 draw - with Thiago Silva impressed by Mane. The Reds attacker featured in the game, winning Senegal's penalty, which was duly converted by Famara Diedhiou before the break.
It was a performance from Mane which only reinforced the opinion Thiago Silva has of the Liverpool forward.
He told Sky Sports via Maxifoot, "Sadio Mané is a world class player. He is almost perfect.
"He moves very fast, controls the ball well and is very intelligent in his movements."
Now 36, Thiago Silva has faced some of the game's greatest ever strikers and is well positioned to judge where Mane stands amongst today's elite.
And the defender has no doubts the Senegalese hero deserves to not only be on the Ballon d'Or dais - but to actually win it.
Thiago Silva added: "With what he has achieved this year, I think he deserves to be in the discussion for the Ballon d'Or."
On Thursday at the Singapore National Stadium, Mane's Liverpool teammate Roberto Firmino put Brazil ahead on nine minutes before the Senegal dynamo won his penalty just before half-time.
- updated October 14
