Ballon d’Or 2026: ‘It’s a shame’ – Aliadiere snubs Mbappe, Kane, names player to win award

Former Arsenal striker, Jeremie Aliadiere, has snubbed France’s Kylian Mbappe and England’s Harry Kane while naming the player to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

Aliadiere, however, backed Argentina captain Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d’Or if Lionel Scaloni’s side win the World Cup on Sunday.

According to him, Mbappe failed to win any major trophy with Real Madrid, while Kane won’t win the World Cup.

“I think if he has had a fantastic year in terms of winning something with Real Madrid, then he probably could still be in the running but without winning anything with Madrid,” Aliadiere said via GOAL.

“So, individually, he’s had a fantastic season, but unfortunately, without winning any trophies, we know the rules to be a Ballon d’Or.

“So, having not done that, I can’t see him being the Ballon d’Or. It’s a shame because I thought Harry Kane would have had a good shot if England went all the way as well, but same for him.

“I think it will probably be one of Argentina. Messi, if he wins it again, I think everybody’s just going to be mesmerised by the age and what he is

has produced at the World Cup and forget that he plays in MLS for Inter Miami.”