German legend Lothar Matthäus believes Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane deserves the 2026 Ballon d'Or. In his column, he wrote that Kane is the player "most deserving of the trophy."
Matthäus said: "His only regret is that he didn't make it to the finals of the World Cup and the Champions League. Apart from that, he performed very well, and in my opinion, there was no period when he had a bad day."
In the Champions League semi-final, 33-year-old Kane was eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain with Bayern Munich; in the World Cup semi-final, England also lost to Argentina.
Matthäus's core reasoning for this viewpoint lies in the fact that several of the world's biggest football stars have failed to maintain a consistently dominant performance throughout an entire season. Messi? He wasn't subjected to the highest level of intensity while playing for Inter Miami in MLS. Bellingham or Mbappé? Neither of them won a championship. Among the Spanish players who won the World Cup, no one "outshone everyone else." As for Yamal, my answer is no," said the 65-year-old German legend.
Harry Kane will receive the European Golden Boot award on Wednesday. He scored 61 goals in 51 official appearances last season. Speaking about the Ballon d'Or, the England striker remained cautious: "Of course, it would be fantastic to win it. But ultimately, it's still two or three months before the decision is made."
