Rwanda: Joy-Lance Mickels Backs Mbappé to Win 2026 Ballon d'Or
Mickels said Mbappé’s 2025/26 form and 10-goal World Cup made him the strongest candidate on the 30-man shortlist.
- Voting for the 2026 Ballon d'Or closes on Monday, with the winner announced at a London ceremony on October 26. The 30-man shortlist features Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, and Kylian Mbappe among the leading contenders.
- Kane's 73-goal campaign for Bayern Munich and England last season positioned him as favorite, a total only bettered by Lionel Messi's 82 in 2011-12. His historic output fueled his candidacy for football's most prestigious award.
- Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, 19, challenged the emphasis on raw goal totals, arguing the award should recognize "magic" and not just "scoring 80 goals." The youngster won the World Cup with Spain, strengthening his case.
- Fellow professionals have publicly backed different candidates: Rwanda forward Joy-Lance Mickels endorsed Mbappe as "exceptional," while Joao Felix and Anthony Gordon championed Yamal and Kane respectively.
- The final decision rests with journalists, a task Yamal acknowledged is "difficult" given the candidates' diverse merits. Kane noted the award has become "bigger" due to social media and public discourse.
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20 Articles
The Portuguese footballer considers that Lamine Yamal must win the Golden Ball. João Félix believes that he is not on the list because they underestimate the Arab league
If it depends on João Félix, the winner of the Golden Ball will be Lamine Yamal. As he prepares for the debut of Jorge Jesus in command of the Portuguese selection on this date Fifa, the half-attacker of Al-Nassr did not stay on the wall when choosing the player of Barcelona as his favorite for the prize. — I have always defended that the Golden Ball is for that player you see and think: "That is a star and deserves to be remembered in football.…
2026 Ballon d'Or: Joao Felix names player to win award ahead of Harry Kane, Mbappe
Al Nassr forward, Joao Felix, has said Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Felix made his choice known in an interview with AS. He cited Yamal winning this year’s World Cup trophy with Spain as an advantage in the battle to land the prize. “I have always defended the idea that […] 2026 Ballon d’Or: Joao Felix names player to win award ahead of Harry Kane, Mbappe
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bolanarede.ptJoão Félix chose Lamine Yamal as his favorite for the Golden Ball. Portuguese considers the conquest of the World Cup to be decisive.
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