According to Goal, the article suggests that Harry Kane would be more deserving of the 2026 Ballon d'Or if he weren't actively campaigning for it himself.

It was 25 years ago. In 2001, the 21-year-old Michael Owen won the Ballon d'Or, football's most prestigious and important individual award. The striker had previously won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup, and League Cup with Liverpool, scoring 24 goals in those successful campaigns.

Owen revealed last year: "I had no idea what it was. The press wasn't even talking about it back then." He learned about his award through a call from his Liverpool manager at the time. Owen said: "Gérard Houllier called me to tell me I had won the Ballon d'Or, and I asked him: 'What is that, Coach?'"

I don't want to say definitively that I wish to return to that era. To be honest, I was never a passionate advocate for the Ballon d'Or, but the significance of this award has grown considerably over the years in both players' minds and public perception.

However, I think the most embarrassing, inappropriate, and arrogant behavior is the self-promotion by potential winners among the 30 nominees. Moreover, this practice is actively supported by their respective clubs, who seize every opportunity to praise their players and even directly claim that their players deserve the award more than their competitors.

Bayern Munich manager Flick recently asked, when discussing his favorite player Yamal: "Why shouldn't we support him?" Yamal is one of the favorites for this year's Ballon d'Or, whose ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London. My answer is: Because it has nothing to do with humility or setting an example. As countless managers worldwide repeatedly emphasize, the truth lies on the pitch and doesn't need to be conveyed through transparent statements that elevate one's own players above others. To put it more directly: it's very off-putting.

The 18-year-old Yamal recently stated: "To be honest, given the awards I've received, I think I deserve this prize this year." Real Madrid's Mbappé, who calls himself "the chosen one" and believes that "no one was better than me last season," is similarly arrogant. Imagine if young players in an academy in a team sport spoke about themselves this way.

Of course, this kind of targeted campaigning before awards is nothing new. This year, in a sport that has always emphasized the importance of the collective, this practice seems even more egotistical. For example, Real Madrid already gathered Di Stéfano, Emilio Butragueño, Ancelotti, Casillas, and Sergio Ramos in 2013 to campaign together for Cristiano Ronaldo and help him compete with Messi and Ribéry. Unfortunately, in my opinion, this ultimately succeeded.

Two years ago, Real Madrid even created controversy by canceling their trip to Paris and boycotting the awards ceremony. It had been reported beforehand that the winner would be Rodri, not Vinicius. The club then released a statement saying: "If the criteria for this award don't put Vinicius first, then the same criteria should put Carvajal first. Since this is not the case, it's clear that the Ballon d'Or and UEFA do not respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid will not stay where it is not respected."

Most recently, current Real Madrid manager Mourinho exposed the absurd political machinations behind the Ballon d'Or and put himself in an uncomfortable position. In 2012, the Portuguese coach said: "How can you win the Ballon d'Or without winning a league title or major trophies? Don't talk to me about the Club World Cup or Super Cup—those are minor competitions. Talk to me about the major trophies." A few weeks ago, he stated again: "You can't give the Ballon d'Or to a player just because he won the Champions League or World Cup. There are two, three, or four of the best players in the world, and we all know who they are and where they are. We know who personally made history this summer."

Of course, Mbappé, as he himself has said, has "reasons to win the Ballon d'Or." Such trophies should perhaps be personal goals for top players. But without teammates, they would never win this award, even if some of those teammates might not be as talented as they are.

Public boasting, self-promotion, and the arrogance of professional players and clubs should not be rewarded. These practices further distance modern football from its roots.

Before I write my final sentence, I want to emphasize once more: I don't care at all who wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or. However, there is speculation that Harry Kane, as a strong contender, is deliberately refraining from campaigning for himself before the awards, which gives me hope that this behavior will be rewarded.

Übersetzt von KI.

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