Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi said on Friday that he believes English striker Mason Greenwood—who has already scored 13 goals this season—has clear “Ballon d’Or potential.”
“Mason has tremendous potential. I don’t see many players of this calibre in Europe. For me, he has Ballon d’Or potential,” De Zerbi said during a press conference ahead of Marseille’s Ligue 1 clash with Monaco.
He added that while Greenwood has the natural ability to compete for football’s top individual prize, the final step is up to him:
“It will be up to him to decide if he wants to do everything he can to compete for the Ballon d’Or. But based on his natural talent, he has that potential.”
Since arriving at Marseille last summer, Greenwood has produced 35 goals and nine assists in 56 appearances, becoming the club’s most dangerous attacking option—though he is occasionally criticised for not contributing enough defensively.
“I always want more, and I’d like him to be more consistent,” De Zerbi said. “But I’m not asking him to make 100-metre runs back. I was a number 10, not a right-back, so I understand.
“But he can press with more intensity. When we’re under pressure, he can retain the ball better, avoid unnecessary risks, and help the team get out.”
The Italian coach said Greenwood’s brilliance can still leave him stunned:
“When I saw his goal against Union Saint-Gilloise—his dribble like Drogba and the shot that beat a goalkeeper over two metres tall—I was speechless.”
He added that he hopes Greenwood will one day look back and recognise his tough love:
“I hope that in a few years, he’ll remember me and say, ‘The coach gave me a hard time every day, but I improved.’”
Greenwood’s move to Marseille in July 2024 was controversial, following a season on loan at Getafe after Manchester United suspended him in January 2022 over allegations of attempted rape and assault. Prosecutors dropped all charges in February 2023.
Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli also praised Greenwood, calling him “one of the best” players he has seen:
“I’ve seen a few of them with Argentina. Messi is from another galaxy, but Mason is capable of anything. He’s two-footed, he’s fast, intelligent.”
