According to Goal, the article argues that Kane would be more deserving of winning the Ballon d'Or 2026 if he refrains from campaigning for himself.

This takes us back 25 years. In 2001, 21-year-old Michael Owen won the Ballon d'Or, football's most prestigious individual award. The striker had previously won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup, and League Cup with Liverpool, scoring 24 goals during their trophy-winning campaign.

Owen revealed last year: "I didn't even know what it was. At the time, the media wasn't even talking about it." He learned about his award from a phone call from Liverpool's manager. Owen said: "Gerard Houllier called me and told me I had won the Ballon d'Or, and I asked him: What is that, boss?"

I'm not going to say I want to return definitively to that era. To be honest, I've never been a huge Ballon d'Or supporter, but the award's importance has clearly increased significantly over the years, both in players' minds and in public perception.

What I find most shameful, undeserving, and arrogant is the self-promotion by the 30 nominees. Worse still, this practice is actively encouraged by their respective clubs, who seize every opportunity to praise their players and even directly claim their player deserves the award more than their rivals.

Bayern Munich coach Flick recently asked when discussing his favorite player Yamal: "Why shouldn't we support him?" Yamal is among the favorites for this year's Ballon d'Or, with the ceremony scheduled for October 26 in London. My answer is: Because it has nothing to do with humility or setting an example. As countless coaches worldwide have repeatedly emphasized, the truth is on the pitch, and there's no need to elevate one player above others through transparent statements. Frankly, such behavior is irritating.

18-year-old Yamal recently stated: "Honestly, considering the awards I've received, I think I deserve this award this year." Real Madrid's Mbappé, who calls himself "the chosen one" and believes "no one is better than me last season," is equally arrogant. Imagine how it would look if a young player at an academy spoke about themselves that way in a team sport.

Of course, such directed campaigns before awards aren't new. This year, in a sport that constantly emphasizes collective importance, this practice seems even more selfish. For example, in early 2013, Real Madrid assembled Di Stéfano, Emilio Butragueño, Ancelotti, Casillas, and Sergio Ramos, among others, to collectively campaign for Cristiano Ronaldo, helping him compete against Messi and Ribéry. Regrettably, in my view, it worked.

Two years ago, Real Madrid even triggered controversy by directly canceling their trip to Paris and boycotting the award ceremony. It had leaked that the winner was Rodri, not Vinicius. The club then released a statement saying: "If the criteria for this award don't place Vinicius first, then the same criteria should place Carvajal first. Since this didn't happen, it's clear that the Ballon d'Or and UEFA don't respect Real Madrid. And Real Madrid won't remain where it's not respected."

Most recently, Real Madrid's current coach Mourinho once again exposed the absurd political manipulation behind the Ballon d'Or, placing himself in an awkward position. In 2012, the Portuguese coach said: "How can you win the Ballon d'Or without winning a championship or other major trophy? Don't talk to me about the Club World Cup or Super Cup—those are minor things. Talk to me about the most important trophies." A few weeks ago, he restated: "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 best players in the world, and we all know who they are and where they are. We know who has written history personally this past summer."

Of course, Mbappé, as he himself said, "has reasons to win the Ballon d'Or." And of course, such a trophy should perhaps be a personal goal for these top players. But without their teammates, they would never win this award, even if some teammates might be less talented than them.

Public displays, desires for self-aggrandizement, and arrogance from professional players and clubs shouldn't be rewarded. Such practices also distance modern football from its grassroots.

Before writing my final thought, I must emphasize again: I don't care at all who wins the Ballon d'Or 2026. However, Kane, as a strong candidate, is reportedly deliberately choosing not to campaign for himself before the award, which makes me hopeful that such behavior will be recognized and valued.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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