Jose Mourinho Says Zlatan Ibrahimovic Deserves to Win Ballon d'Or

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is making an early push for Red Devils striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic to join the 2017 Ballon d'Or conversation.

ESPN FC passed along comments the club's boss made about the Swedish superstar, who's enjoying a terrific debut campaign with United, during an appearance on MUTV.

"I think what he has done is amazing," Mourinho said. "The number of goals he has scored, the two matches at Wembley, the trophies, what he is in the group, and what he means. I think he is absolutely phenomenal. No more words."

He added: "I cannot believe he has never won it. So why not this season, if he can do something special? If he can win more trophies, reach Stockholm and the Europa League final. Why not this man, who is 35 years old, to get that deserved award?

Ibrahimovic has provided United with just about everything the Premier League side could have hoped for after signing him last July following a decorated stay with Paris Saint-Germain.

The veteran forward scored the game-winning goal in both the FA Community Shield clash with reigning Premier League champions Leicester City and the EFL Cup final against Southampton. He's also added 15 goals and four assists across 24 Premier League appearances.

His often outstanding form comes following questions about whether he could thrive in the Premier League as a 35-year-old legend seemingly in the twilight of his career. Those questions were quickly answered, and the answer becomes more resounding with each key goal.

Ibrahimovic explained his mindset about taking on the challenge with Manchester United rather than play in a lesser league for a lucrative contract during a Sky Sports interview with longtime Arsenal sensation Thierry Henry, who finished his illustrious career in the United States' Major League Soccer.

"I don't like the easy task, the easy job, the easy objectives, I always had it hard whenever I went," he said in January. "I needed to do much more than the other ones, and that's how I see it here, at the age of 35, people said it would be impossible but I am doing what I am able to do."

While he's emerged as a realistic choice to become a Ballon d'Or finalist this year, the coveted individual honour's history speaks to the uphill battle he faces.

The sport's two biggest names, Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi, have dominated the award for a decade. One of them has won the award for nine straight years, and only once during that span did the other player not finish as the runner-up (2010).

Adding the Ballon d'Or to an already stacked career resume would by quite a statement by Ibrahimovic, especially at this stage of his career. He's still an underdog to Ronaldo and Messi, though.