Jorginho says the Ballon d'Or winner should NOT only be based on goals

Chelsea and Italy star Jorginho insists the Ballon d'Or prize for the world's best player should not just be based on the amount of individual goals.

The 29-year-old midfielder won the Champions League in May before winning Euro 2020 in July, playing a central role in both continental triumphs.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won all but one of the last 12 Ballon d'Or's - Luka Modric the only anomaly in 2018 - but Jorginho says the gong should not just be based on the prowess of goalscorers year in year out.

The playmaker spoke as one of the favourites for this year's prize - having won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year in August - alongside the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Mo Salah and Messi.

'It's not up to me to say if I should win the Ballon d'Or, but it would be an incentive for other players, to show that not only goals are taken into account, he told Brazilian outlet GloboEsporte, as reported by The Mirror.

'I don't want to have too many expectations, but I would be hypocritical if I said I don't think about it.

'It's great if it happens, but if it doesn't, I won't complain. I keep my feet on the ground and I focus on something else, I've already won the best player of the year by UEFA.'

The Italy international, who has been capped 40 times for his country since his debut in 2016, also revealed why he chose the Azzurri over the nation of his birth, Brazil.

'They tried to convince me, but in the end I chose Italy, otherwise I would have been ungrateful,' he added.

'It would not be bad to win the World Cup. The Champions League and the Euros can't be underestimated, but the World Cup goes beyond anything else. We won't be the favourite in Qatar, but we can't even go unnoticed as we won the Euros.'

Italy go into their final two World Cup qualifiers level on points with Switzerland in Group C - the top-two face off in Rome on Friday night.