Ballon d'Or 2026: Kane's triumph, approved by Declan Rice

The Englishman gives his view

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Ballon d'Or 2026: Kane's triumph, approved by Declan Rice

15.11.26 14:45 UEFA Nations League A

Spain

England

Harry Kane's England teammate Declan Rice has decided to push back against Didier Drogba's comments about the Bayern striker's Ballon d'Or 2026 win.

Spain and England face off in the Nations League this Sunday. The clash will see Spanish winger Lamine Yamal take on English striker Harry Kane. On that occasion, Three Lions midfielder Declan Rice was asked to reflect on his compatriot's triumph at the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

A well-deserved win for Kane

While Didier Drogba is surprised to see Harry Kane named the winner, Declan Rice approves of his England teammate's award. "For me and for everyone in England, Harry deserved the Ballon d'Or. When you look at his season, his stats, his trophies, the way he played... It wasn't just about goals, but also performances worthy of being named man of the match. Of course, the Spanish players will name Lamine Yamal. He's an incredible player, one of the best in the world, and he'll win the Ballon d'Or many times. But this time, it was right to see Harry win it," the Arsenal player told the press.

🌕🫵🏼 Declan Rice: “Lamine Yamal will win so many Ballon d’Ors; he’s incredible”. “But Harry Kane deserves to win this one, in my view”. https://t.co/kDmYXpvI8D
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) November 15, 2026

For the record, Lamine Yamal finished third in this edition, behind Kane and Kylian Mbappé.

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Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.