Cristian Romero says Ballon d’Or should not go to Harry Kane despite Tottenham link

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero stated that his former teammate Harry Kane should not win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Instead, the Atletico Madrid defender believes Argentina teammate Lionel Messi should continue receiving the award until his retirement, dismissing bids from Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal ahead of the ceremony at the Palladium Theatre in London.

Kane, who completed a record-breaking campaign with Bayern Munich, remains the favorite for the honor. Addressing public campaigning by competitors Mbappe of Real Madrid and Yamal of Barcelona, Kane stated it was not in his personality to promote himself, though he remains proud of his achievements.