Harry Kane warned England stars will destroy Ballon d’Or hopes in brutal verdict | Football | Sport
Harry Kane is among the early candidates for this year’s Ballon d’Or (Image: FIFA via Getty Images)
Jamie Carragher believes Harry Kane will likely miss out on the Ballon d’Or this year because of his England team-mates. He reckons the prestigious annual award will be handed to the standout performer from whichever nation lifts the World Cup. Carragher suggests Lionel Messi will claim it should Argentina successfully defend their crown, while either Kylian Mbappe or Michael Olise would be frontrunners if France emerge victorious.
Nevertheless, the pundit insists Kane is currently the most deserving candidate for the 2026 honour. The striker has now reached 72 goals this season for Bayern Munich and England following his brace for his country that overturned their round of 32 clash against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, taking his tournament tally to five. Yet that exceptional form arriving during a World Cup year could ultimately work against his prospects of securing individual recognition, according to former England defender Carragher.
He wrote in The Telegraph: “If the vote for the Ballon d’Or was being held right now, Kane would be the worthy winner, his heroics for England against DR Congo absorbing his 72nd goal of this season.
“Only Lionel Messi has recently hit those kinds of numbers. Not even Cristiano Ronaldo was so prolific in one campaign.”
He added: “Based on the past 12 months, Kane should win the Ballon d’Or. Unfortunately, he probably won’t because in a World Cup year, it is bound to go to the star player of the winning nation.
“Much as I want to believe England can still win it, there is nothing to support that opinion, especially after recent performances.
“If Argentina retain the cup, Messi will win the Ballon d’Or. If France win the competition, one of their key men will get it. Kane’s Bayern team-mate Michael Olise is a strong contender.
“And even though, by Kylian Mbappe’s standards, he has had a frustrating year with his club, that will be forgotten when judged against his fantastic World Cup displays.
“Another of the Paris St-Germain stars might be celebrating a personal accolade, even though their Champions League win felt more of a team effort than the consequence of one outstanding contribution. Ousmane Dembele has enjoyed another fantastic season.
Jamie Carragher believes Kane will be denied because of his England team-mates (Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
“Kane’s goal output is beyond them all. He is performing at the same level as France’s best and Messi, going toe-to-toe in the Golden Boot race.”
Carragher is right that Messi claimed the Ballon d’Or for a record eighth time in the months following his triumphant World Cup campaign with Argentina. However, such an outcome remains very much the exception rather than the rule in recent history.
Luka Modric was defeated in the 2018 final before breaking a decade-long stranglehold by Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi, while Antoine Griezmann and Mbappe placed third and fourth respectively, despite guiding France to glory.
Messi and Ronaldo also failed to claim the tournament throughout their ten-year period of trading the accolade between themselves.
Consequently, Messi became the first player to secure the Ballon d’Or following World Cup triumph in 17 years, since Fabio Cannavaro, who claimed it in 2006.
Though at that juncture, the defender represented the third successive world champion to receive it, after Zinedine Zidane in 1998 and Ronaldo in 2002.
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