Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has thrown his full support behind England teammate Harry Kane. He called the Bayern Munich striker the "clear winner" of the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
After Arsenal's 2-2 draw with Bayern in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night, Rice praised Kane’s performance. He also highlighted Kane's great season overall.
"For me, Harry is the clear winner of the Ballon d’Or 2026," Rice told footballontnt on Wednesday.
"His numbers speak for themselves. For a striker to play that pass for their first goal then take the penalty how he did… he’s ridiculous, he’s such a good player, insane!"
Kane played a key role in the match at the Allianz Arena. He provided a precise assist and converted a penalty as Bayern fought back to secure a point against Arsenal.
Both players scored in an entertaining match that left Rice impressed with his international teammate.
Rice went further in his assessment, pointing out Kane’s overall excellence. "His numbers speak for themselves. The year he’s had has been remarkable. He’s obviously up against some other world-class players but when you play with him, you realise how good he is and when you play against him, you see how much of a pain it is."
Kane is now a top contender for the Ballon d’Or. The England captain is the bookmakers’ favorite. He had a prolific 2025-26 season, scoring 73 goals for both club and country.
He helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga title and played a critical role as England finished third at the World Cup.
Kane’s main challengers are expected to be Barcelona’s teenage star Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé. This sets up what looks like a closely contested vote.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will be in London on 26 October. This is the first time the prestigious awards night will take place outside Paris.
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