Super Eagles legend Austin Okocha has backed Kylian Mbappe to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or while identifying Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as leading contenders for UEFA Champions League glory.
Speaking to French publication Le Journal du Dimanche, the former Paris Saint-Germain playmaker acknowledged the competitiveness of the Ballon d’Or race but argued that Mbappe’s outstanding goalscoring record makes him a worthy winner.
Okocha listed Real Madrid forward Mbappe, Harry Kane, Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal and several PSG players among the leading candidates for the prestigious individual award.
“The suspense is more exciting than ever. There are a good half-dozen contenders: Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, the PSG players,” Okocha said.
However, he singled out Mbappe’s scoring achievements at the World Cup, Champions League and Spanish league as the strongest argument in his favour.
“I think Mbappe 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.
Turning to the Champions League, Okocha named Manchester City among the favourites, pointing to their substantial investment in strengthening the squad during the summer transfer window.
He also backed Barcelona, praising their impressive start to the season and the attacking combination of Raphinha and Yamal.
Bayern Munich completed his shortlist, with the Nigerian legend believing their squad continuity and growing experience could make them formidable opponents.
Okocha noted that Bayern came close to success last season and suggested that retaining their key players could give them an advantage in the race for Europe’s biggest club prize.
His predictions highlight the strength of the competition as Europe’s leading clubs pursue Champions League success.
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