2026 Ballon d’Or: Six Players Are Contenders – Jay Jay Okocha Names Winner

Former Super Eagles captain Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha has shared his opinion on the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, naming Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé as his favourite to win the prestigious individual honour.

Voting for this year’s award reportedly closed ten days ago, but there is still no clear favourite, with several top players considered strong contenders.

Speaking in an interview published by The Sunday Newspaper, Okocha said around six players have a strong case for winning the award.

“The suspense is more exciting than ever,” the former Nigerian international said.

Okocha identified Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Mbappé, Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal and players from Paris Saint-Germain among those deserving consideration.

“There are a good half dozen contenders: Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal and the PSG players,” he stated.

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Despite acknowledging the competition, Okocha backed Mbappé, arguing that his reported achievements across major competitions make him deserving of the award. “I think Mbappé would deserve it for having been the top scorer in the World Cup, the Champions League and the Spanish Championship,” he said.