Ballon d’Or 2026: He Has Completed Football – Troy Deeney Names Winner, Top Five Ranking

Watford legend Troy Deeney has backed Barcelona star Lamine Yamal to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

Deeney also revealed his preferred top five players in the Ballon d’Or ranking, with Yamal leading the list.

According to the former England striker, Yamal is the only player who deserves to win the prestigious individual award because of what he has achieved at just 19 years old.

“The only winner, Lamine Yamal, 19 years of age. Completed football. Won the Euros, won the World Cup,” Deeney said on CBS Sports Golazo.

Deeney believes Yamal has already achieved an extraordinary career at a very young age, although he still has the Champions League to win. “The Champions League is next for him to win, but he has completed football,” he said.

He added: “If he stops playing football today, he’s got an unbelievable career that 99.9% of people could wish they could have. He is just the best.”

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Deeney’s top five Ballon d’Or ranking is Lamine Yamal in first, followed by Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe.