Will Harry Kane win 2026 Ballon d’Or? Bayern Munich striker told Golden Ball snub would be ‘bizarre’ as ex-England star explains why Lamine Yamal should miss out

At 33 years of age, the former Tottenham striker has set the standard when it comes to feats of individual brilliance and unwavering consistency. With that in mind, will he follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Co by becoming a Ballon d’Or winner?

When that question was put to Waddle, the former England and Spurs winger - speaking in association with BetBrain - told GOAL: “There's a lot of players I'd say that deserve it. But it's just bizarre for me how you've got to win trophies to win the Ballon d'Or.

“Football's a team game. It's not about an individual - that’s completely different from a team. So Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League, so all of a sudden people from PSG are thrown forward.

“With Harry, you look at the individual and think, ‘He's played for a good side and he's in the Champions League, got to the semis and lost out to Paris’. England didn’t win the World Cup, so that'll harm his chances.

“You're judged on what you do as a player individually. You don't have to be in a winning team - that’s 11 players. Eleven players are not going to get the Ballon d'Or, one player gets it. I don't get this rule where if they didn't win a cup and they didn't win the World Cup, they didn't win the Champions League, so that's him out of the reckoning. I just don't get that.

“I'm sorry, but you judge players on a season and Harry Kane's had a phenomenal season for Bayern Munich and England. Why is he not being awarded it? Because he didn't win a trophy, which is a team game, not an individual as the Ballon d'Or is. I don't get that.

“Will some Spaniard now come forward and Yamal get it? Who's had a decent season with Barcelona, won the league and they've won the World Cup, but he didn't really play well in the World Cup, let's be honest, he's been injured a lot.

“But all of a sudden people like that come forward because Spain won the World Cup. It's not about that. The Ballon d'Or should always be the best player of the season. And Harry Kane, from my eyes, should lift it.”

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