RismadarVoice Reporters, August 7, 2026
Former France international Emmanuel Petit has ruled out Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane as a contender to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Petit believes Kane’s performances in crucial matches have weakened his chances of claiming the prestigious individual award, despite his impressive goalscoring record for Bayern Munich.
Speaking to Sport1, the former Arsenal midfielder argued that Kane’s Bundesliga statistics alone would make him a strong candidate, but his performances in major Champions League and international fixtures could count against him.
“Following this World Cup, Harry Kane’s chances for the Ballon d’Or have diminished,” Petit said.
“If you base it purely on the Bundesliga, he would certainly be a candidate.
“But in the Champions League and with the national team, whenever things got really tight, he mostly disappeared.”
Kane enjoyed another prolific domestic campaign, finishing as the Bundesliga’s leading scorer for the third consecutive season after scoring 36 goals.
The England captain also contributed 10 goals in the DFB-Pokal and found the net 14 times in 13 Champions League appearances.
Despite those numbers, Petit believes Kane’s inability to make a decisive impact in the biggest games could prevent him from being considered the leading candidate for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
Kane, 33, will now wait for the final shortlist and voting process to determine whether his remarkable scoring statistics will be enough to keep him in contention for the prestigious award.
