After aiding Bayern Munich to a 2-2 UEFA Champions League draw on Wednesday evening, Harry Kane insists he’s as clueless as the remaining of us concerning the winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or, which can be revealed at a ceremony subsequent Monday night.
The Ballon d’Or is extensively thought of to be world soccer’s most prestigious particular person honour, having been awarded by a variety of soccer journalists on behalf of French publication France Football since 1956.
Next Monday’s announcement will crown the seventieth winner of the award, which has been given out yearly since its inception with the exception of a Covid-enforced cancellation in 2020.
Paris Saint-Germain ahead Ousmane Dembele is the present holder of the trophy, which has been handed to Argentina’s Lionel Messi on a report eight events and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo an additional 5.
Kane is the favorite with the bookmakers forward of Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal to win the 2026 version, with Michael Owen (2001) the newest of the 4 English gamers to have gained the award.
Yamal has previously insisted that he “deserves” the title for his 34 targets and 28 assists for Barcelona for the reason that begin of final season in addition to 4 targets in 4 wins for Spain through the latest UEFA Nations League window.
That flurry of strikes for Spain had seen Yamal draw degree with Kane with the bookmakers earlier than the Englishman reasserted himself with six Nations League targets of his personal and one other 4 for Bayern Munich since, taking his complete for the reason that begin of final season to 71 targets and 14 assists for Bayern and 18 targets and three assists for England.
33-year-old Kane has not supplied a public opinion on who he thinks ought to win the Ballon d’Or, however conceded he “would be really happy to receive such an award” after what he himself described as “a great year“.
Kane additionally admitted it hasn’t been straightforward to dedicate everything of his focus to his on-field efforts with the historic announcement so close to.
“I’d love to know (in advance who wins) to just kind of see and not have to wait throughout the whole night,” he mentioned on Wednesday.
“But it is their decision, I can’t control that. We’ll have to just enjoy it and try not to stress out too much.
“They need everybody to go, all the massive names there and there can be extra individuals watching it if they do not know, so I can perceive why.
“I try not to think about it. Obviously it is hard not to. There are always rumours flying around and you try to stay away from it.”
Event organisers first started conserving the winner a whole secret in 2024 – or at the least tried to, with that ceremony boycotted by Real Madrid after the membership discovered by way of a leak that Vinicius Junior had been edged out by Rodri in voting.
The Ballon d’Or gala takes place on the London Palladium Theatre on Monday evening between 8pm and 10pm BST, with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi additionally in exterior rivalry for what’s in any other case largely thought of a two-man race.
Aaron Murphy has been with Flashscore since 2018 and, because the founding editor of the Australian newsdesk, has reported on-site at a number of main occasions in Melbourne together with the Australian Open, State of Origin, A-League, NBL and worldwide cricket. You can learn his items here and make contact with him on X or LinkedIn.
