Goal reports that H. Kane deserves the 2026 Ballon d'Or precisely because he isn't lobbying for himself.

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

Last year Owen recalled: "I had no idea what it was. The media didn't even talk about it back then." He learned about his award through a call from his then-Liverpool manager. Owen said: "Gérard Houllier called me and told me I had won the Ballon d'Or, and I asked him: What is that, boss?"

I don't want to say outright that I wish to return to that era. To be honest, I've never been a big fan of the Ballon d'Or, but the significance of this award has clearly increased considerably over the years, both in the minds of players and in public perception.

However, what I find most shameful, inappropriate, and arrogant is the self-promotion by potential winners among the 30 nominees. Worse, this practice is actively supported by their respective clubs, which seize every opportunity to trumpet their players, even directly claiming that their players deserve the award more than their competitors.

Bayern Munich coach Hansi Flick recently asked about his protégé Lamine Yamal: "Why shouldn't we support him?" Yamal is among the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or this year, with the ceremony scheduled for October 26 in London. My answer: Because this has nothing to do with humility or setting an example. As countless coaches around the world have repeatedly emphasized, the truth on the pitch doesn't need transparent public declarations elevating their players above others. To be more direct, this approach is off-putting.

18-year-old Yamal recently stated: "Honestly, given my achievements, I think I deserve this award this year." Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid, who calls himself "the chosen one" and believes "no one was better than me last season," displays similar arrogance. Imagine if young players in youth academies spoke about themselves like this in a team sport.

Of course, such deliberate campaigning before award ceremonies is nothing new. This year, in a sport that always emphasizes the importance of the collective, this practice seems even more self-centered. For example, back in 2013, Real Madrid assembled figures such as Alfredo Di Stéfano, Emilio Butragueño, Carlo Ancelotti, Iker Casillas, and Sergio Ramos to jointly campaign for Cristiano Ronaldo, helping him compete against Lionel Messi and Franck Ribéry. Unfortunately, in my view, they succeeded.

Two years ago, Real Madrid even caused a scandal by directly canceling their trip to Paris and boycotting the awards ceremony. It was already known that Rodri would be the winner, not Vinícius Júnior. The club then issued a statement: "If the criteria for this award did not place Vinícius Júnior first, then those same criteria should have placed Dani Carvajal first. Since they didn't, 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."

More recently, current Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti once again exposed the absurd political maneuvering behind the Ballon d'Or, putting himself in an awkward position. In 2012, he said: "How can you win the Ballon d'Or without winning the league, without winning any major trophies? Don't talk to me about the Club World Cup or the Super Cup — those are minor things. Talk to me about the most important trophies." Just weeks ago, he also stated: "You can't give the Ballon d'Or to a player simply because he won the Champions League or the World Cup. There are two, three, or four best players in the world, and we all know who they are and where they play. We know who made history on a personal level this summer."

Of course, Mbappé, as he himself said, "has grounds to win the Ballon d'Or." Of course, such trophies may naturally be personal goals for top players of this caliber. But without their teammates, they would never have won this award, even if some of those teammates might not be as talented as they are.

Public boasting, greedy self-aggrandizement, and arrogance from professional players and clubs should not be rewarded. This practice also distances modern football even further from its roots.

Before I write my final point, I want to emphasize once more: I don't care at all who wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or. However, I've heard that H. Kane, while being a strong contender, deliberately refuses to campaign for himself before the award ceremony, which gives me hope that such conduct will be rewarded.

Переведено ИИ.

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