Is Hakimi wronged because of his teammates?.. British journalist Ben Jacobs analyzes the Ballon d'Or race for "Foot Africa"

British football journalist Ben Jacobs believes Harry Kane enters the 2026 Ballon d'Or race as the favourite while Morocco international Achraf Hakimi could struggle to finish among the world's top ten players despite his achievements with Paris Saint Germain.

Speaking exclusively to Foot Africa ahead of Monday's ceremony in London, Jacobs analysed the leading contenders, explained why PSG's numerous nominees could complicate Hakimi's chances and revealed his predictions for several individual awards.

Read Also: Through the eyes of former stars.. Messi in the lead and resounding surprises in The Athletic's Ballon d'Or list

Ben Jacobs: Hakimi could struggle to reach the Ballon d'Or top 10

Hakimi is among the 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or 2026, having enjoyed another successful campaign with PSG.

However, Jacobs believes the Moroccan right back faces a difficult challenge in securing a place among the highest ranked players.

"With Hakimi, my feeling is he will struggle to make the top ten but possibly will squeeze into the top fifteen" Jacobs told Foot Africa.

One factor could be the considerable representation of PSG players in the voting.

The French champions have 10 players among the 30 Ballon d'Or nominees raising the possibility that support for their Champions League-winning squad could be divided between several candidates.

Jacobs suggested that votes for the PSG players "might become a little bit fragmented"

He also highlighted the traditional disadvantage facing defenders in individual awards.

"Defenders are at a bit of a disadvantage" he explained noting that full backs might attract greater attention than centre backs but generally cannot match the attacking statistics produced by forwards and wingers.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged that Rodri's Ballon d'Or 2024 victory demonstrated that players in less attacking positions can overcome such obstacles.

Hakimi is one of 2 African internationals on the men's shortlist, alongside Senegal's Sadio Mané.

Harry Kane leads a complicated race ahead of Mbappé & Yamal

Jacobs described this year's Ballon d'Or contest as particularly difficult to predict arguing that no candidate possesses an entirely convincing case.

"I think this is one of the most difficult votes to predict because there's no perfect candidate" he said.

The British journalist pointed to Kane's remarkable 73 goal campaign for Bayern Munich and England as a major advantage.

"73 goals for club and country and that's why he goes in as the favourite"

However, Kane's failure to win the World Cup with England could influence voters, particularly in a year featuring a major international tournament.

Jacobs also identified Kylian Mbappé as a serious contender following his Golden Boot-winning performances at the World Cup 2026.

"Mbappé is a real contender and I'd be surprised if he's not in the top three"

The Real Madrid forward finished as the tournament's leading scorer but did not win the trophy with France. He also missed out on La Liga and Champions League honours.

Meanwhile, Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal strengthened his credentials by helping Spain win the World Cup, although Jacobs noted that he was not the national team's outstanding performer at the tournament.

The journalist believes these contrasting achievements make the final decision especially challenging for voters.

Could Lionel Messi finish higher than expected?

Jacobs also discussed Lionel Messi's chances of making an impact in the final rankings.

Despite the Argentine's impressive attacking numbers with Inter Miami, the journalist suggested that the competitive level of Major League Soccer could work against him.

He argued that MLS does not compare with Europe's five leading domestic leagues while Argentina's failure to retain the World Cup adds another complication.

Nevertheless, Jacobs offered an intriguing prediction.

"Messi will place higher than I think some people believe"

He considers Kane, Mbappé and Yamal the leading contenders, with Messi a less likely but still noteworthy possibility.

Pau Cubarsí could challenge Yamal for Best Young Player

Beyond the main award, Jacobs identified Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsí as a potential surprise in the Young Talent of the Year category.

Both Cubarsí and Yamal feature among the ten nominees for the 2026 Best Young Player award.

"I would love to see Pau Cubarsí win it" Jacobs revealed.

He praised the defender's performances during Spain's World Cup winning campaign particularly his contribution in the final against Argentina.

However, Jacobs believes Yamal is the more logical favourite for the youth award if he misses out on the main Ballon d'Or.

His bold prediction is that Cubarsí could either beat Yamal to the young player prize or emerge as a surprise top 10 finisher in the main ranking.

Such an outcome, he argued, would demonstrate that defenders can still achieve significant recognition in football's leading individual awards.

Alexia Putellas backed for a third women's Ballon d'Or

Turning to the women's award, Jacobs identified Barcelona legend Alexia Putellas as his preferred candidate.

He described Aitana Bonmatí as the world's best female player but noted that an injury affected season had prevented her from making the shortlist.

Jacobs believes this creates an opportunity for Putellas to claim the award for the third time, following her previous victories in 2021 and 2022.

When will the 2026 Ballon d'Or winners be announced?

The Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony takes place on Monday 26 October at the London Palladium Theatre beginning at 20:00 GMT.

The event will mark the 70th anniversary of the award, with Ousmane Dembélé's successor set to be crowned.

For African football supporters, particular attention will turn to Hakimi's final ranking and whether the Moroccan can outperform Jacobs' expectations.

With Kane considered the favourite, Mbappé tipped for a top 3 finish and Yamal remaining a serious challenger, the British journalist expects one of the most closely contested Ballon d'Or decisions in recent years.

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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