The 70th Ballon d’Or, run by France Football magazine, will be held in England for the first time. The location is a nod to Stanley Matthews, who won the first award in 1956, and Kane could become the first English winner in 25 years.
Kane’s record-breaking season
Kane scored 73 goals in 65 games for Bayern Munich and England last season. He helped Bayern win the Bundesliga and German Cup double and led England to the World Cup semi-finals.
The 33-year-old said winning the award would be a huge milestone in his career. But semi-final exits in both the Champions League and the World Cup mean his victory is far from guaranteed.
Kane also admitted that not knowing the result in advance has been stressful for his family. He said he understood why the organisers keep it secret, though, because it makes sure the big names attend and more people watch.
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Yamal and Mbappé make their case
Yamal finished second behind Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé last year. The 19-year-old Barcelona star is widely expected to win the award one day, but this may not be his year.
A hamstring injury ended his club season early, and he was not the standout player in Spain’s World Cup-winning side. His Barcelona team-mates Rodri and Pau Cubarsí were named the tournament’s best player and best young player.
Yamal remains confident, though. Last month he said he and Mbappé were the two best players in the world, and that he deserved the award this year because of what he had won.
Mbappé’s case rests on goals rather than trophies. The 27-year-old finished as top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup, but won none of those competitions with Real Madrid or France.
His 10 goals at the World Cup took him to 22 in total, making him the tournament’s all-time top scorer. Asked who he was voting for, he jokingly named himself.
How the winner is chosen
A journalist from each of the top 100 nations in the FIFA rankings votes for their top 10 players from a 30-man shortlist. The first-placed player gets 15 points, down to one point for tenth, and the player with the most points wins.
There is no prize money, but the award can trigger big bonuses from clubs and sponsors and boost a player’s commercial value.
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Putellas favourite for women’s award
In the women’s race, Alexia Putellas is favourite to win for a third time after winning in 2021 and 2022. Aitana Bonmatí’s run of three straight wins looks set to end after an injury-affected year.
Putellas helped Barcelona win back the Women’s Champions League last season before joining London City Lionesses. Her main rival is former Barcelona team-mate Ewa Pajor, who scored 11 goals in that Champions League campaign.
– AFP
Photo: REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
