Super Eagles legend Austin ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha has backed Kylian Mbappé to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, believing the Real Madrid forward has done enough to earn football’s biggest individual prize.
Okocha admits that this year’s race is more exciting than ever, with Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and several Paris Saint-Germain players also in contention. However, the former Nigerian international believes Mbappé’s goal-scoring record gives him a strong case for the award.
Despite acknowledging the strong competition, the former Paris Saint-Germain playmaker made his preference clear, pointing to Mbappé’s scoring achievements in three major competitions.
“I think Mbappé deserves it for having been the top scorer in the World Cup (10 goals), the Champions League (15) and the Spanish league (25),” he added.
Kane, however, has also enjoyed an outstanding season. The England captain scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich and the national team during the 2025–26 campaign, strengthening his position among the leading candidates for the award.
The debate is therefore about more than choosing between two prolific strikers. While Mbappé’s numbers across major competitions have impressed Okocha, Kane’s remarkable goal return has also given him a strong argument.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 in London, where the winner will be announced.
With several players making convincing cases, the final decision promises to attract plenty of attention from football fans.
For Okocha, though, Mbappé has already done enough to stand out from the competition.
