Former Bayern Munich and Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann believes three players are ahead of Harry Kane in the race to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Hamann does not believe Kane has done enough to claim the prestigious individual award this year, despite the England captain’s impressive goalscoring record.
The former Germany international pointed out that Kane’s performances in the UEFA Champions League and World Cup were not strong enough to make him the favourite for the prize.
When asked if Kane deserves to win the Ballon d’Or, Hamann told Andy’s Bet Club, as quoted by Bavarian Football Works:
“Does Harry Kane deserve to win the Ballon d’Or? I’d be surprised, to be honest.
“I know Kane scored an awful lot of goals, but in the Champions League, the semifinal was the last stop for them.
“Then in the World Cup, he did not score after the round of 32. The last goal he scored in open play was in the last 32 against Congo.
“I’m not sure that is enough to win a Ballon d’Or; I think there are two or three contenders who are ahead of him.”
Kane is expected to face strong competition from Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele in the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
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According to Hamann, these players currently have a stronger claim to the award than the England striker.
