Michael Owen named Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal as his three favourites for the 2026 Ballon d'Or when assessing the contenders on DAZN. GOAL said after Owen's analysis that the likely winner would emerge from those three players.
Kane is Owen's heart choice
Owen said: "Of course, my heart says Kane. I’d like a new English partner."
Owen's view on Mbappe
Owen said: "Mbappe hasn’t won anything really in terms of team trophies, but top scorer in La Liga, top scorer in the Champions League, top goalscorer in the World Cup. And it is an individual award."
Yamal earns praise
Owen said: "Literally every time I watch him play, I nearly fall off the sofa. He’s just so good, isn’t he?"
His Ballon d'Or comment
Owen said: "It’s got to be the rarest trophy in the world, hasn’t it? Messi and Ronaldo have dominated so much that there’s hardly any about now."