Ballon d’Or 2026: Ex-Liverpool midfielder names big favourite to win award

Former Liverpool midfielder, Vladimír Šmicer, has named Bayern Munich striker, Harry Kane as the big favourite to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or ahead of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.

Šmicer believes Kane deserves to win the Ballon d’Or the most because of all he has done in his career so far.

“I think Harry Kane should be the big favourite ,” Šmicer told Grosvenor Sport.

“Lamine Yamal will be there as well, but he did not have a great World Cup.

“Kylian Mbappe is another favourite because he had a very good World Cup, but he was average for Real Madrid in the first half of the year.

“So I think, for all that he has done in his career, it should be Harry Kane.”

Kane, Mbappe and Yamal were among the 30 players shortlisted for this year’s Ballon d’Or.