Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has his sights set on winning the Ballon d’Or

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer says it is his “wish” to win the Ballon d’Or.

Palmer finished 25th in the race to be named the best player in the world for 2024, with Manchester City’s Rodri claiming the prize.

The 22-year-old has set the Premier League alight since moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2024 and is eyeing the individual gong.

“Ballon d’Or, that’s what everyone wants to win,” he said on the Men In Blazers podcast. “I wish.”

Palmer has helped the Blues make an excellent start to life under Enzo Maresca and they are second in the table, seven points behind leaders Liverpool.

The England international says finishing in the top four and claiming silverware would be a good season.

He added: “Champions League would be a success, and hopefully winning a trophy.”

Palmer’s life has changed since he burst onto the scene with Chelsea and England as he gets recognised everywhere, recently at a McDonald’s Drive-Thru, where staff asked him to pose for pictures.

And he says the thing he misses most about normal life is the chance to play football with his mates.

“Yeah, it (my life) has changed massively,” he said. “You can’t go to certain places because you’ll get pestered and you can’t be bothered with it because you just want to chill.

“When you go to a shop round the corner you might think, ‘Oh someone is watching me’ or something.

“(I miss) going to play five-a-side. I swear that’s actually true. Yeah, just going to five-a-side with mates and playing.”