Thierry Henry overlooks Mo Salah in Ballon d'Or prediction despite "extra spice" final

Thierry Henry has backed either Sadio Mane or Karim Benzema to win this season's Ballon d'Or, overlooking Mohamed Salah.

Mane's Liverpool and Benzema's Real Madrid will meet in the Champions League final later this month. The Reds qualified for the showpiece event in Paris after beating Villarreal 5-2 on aggregate, while Real edged Manchester City 6-5 in a pulsating tie.

All three players are expected to start the final. Benzema is currently the favourite for the award after helping Real win La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, scoring 43 goals in as many games this season. He also won the Nations League with France in October.

But Mane has helped Liverpool lift the EFL Cup and could be part of a historic quadruple-winning side. The Reds have reached the FA Cup final - as well as the Champions League - and are just one point behind leaders Man City in the Premier League title race.

The Senegalese forward has also flourished at international level, leading his country to victory in February's Africa Cup of Nations final and qualification for this year's World Cup in Qatar. Both deciding games in those tournaments were against Salah's Egypt.

And for these reasons, Henry believes Benzema and Mane are the favourites for the Ballon d'Or. "If you think about the final and to make it even bigger, the two favourites for the Ballon d’Or are Sadio Mane and Karim Benzema," the Frenchman told CBS Sports.

"That will add a little extra spice into it. I still believe that Benzema is ahead, but if Mane wins it with Liverpool and they do make the quadruple, that would be a pretty strong case. It would be great for Africa, but I’m still going with Benzema."

Despite Henry's opinion, Salah will fancy his chances of winning the Ballon