Super Eagles legend Austin Okocha has thrown his weight behind Kylian Mbappe for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. He also named Manchester City, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich as top contenders for Champions League success, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.
In an interview with French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, Okocha talked about the fierce competition for the Ballon d’Or. He feels that the Real Madrid forward truly deserves this big award.
Okocha listed Harry Kane, Mbappe, Barcelona’s young star Lamine Yamal, and some PSG players as strong candidates. He pointed out that Mbappe’s goal-scoring record is what makes him stand out.
“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.
“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).”
Champions League Contenders
When it comes to the Champions League, Okocha named Manchester City, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich as his top picks. He praised their strong squads and recent performances.
He believes City is still a major contender after spending heavily during the summer transfer window. They invested nearly €500 million to boost their squad.
“Of course. City are still among the main contenders. They spent a lot of money last summer to strengthen their squad (nearly €500 million),” he said.
Okocha also has faith in Barcelona, noting their great start to the season. He highlighted the strong attacking partnership between Raphinha and Yamal. He added that Bayern Munich will also be hard to beat after keeping their key players.
“I also see FC Barcelona, who are having a remarkable start to the season with the Raphinha-Yamal duo, and Bayern Munich, who came very close last season and have managed to keep their starting eleven intact. With another year under their belts, this team will be difficult to beat,” he added.
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