I am the Scottish juror on the Ballon d’Or panel and here’s why I had to vote for nemesis Harry Kane

Writing for The Scotsman, Ballon d'Or juror John Greechan explains why he cast his vote for England and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, who was crowned the 2026 winner at a ceremony in London. Despite Kane scoring a painful stoppage-time equalizer against Scotland at Hampden in 2017, Greechan argues the forward's extraordinary form warranted the top individual prize in world football.

Greechan highlights Kane's return of 73 goals in 65 games and his unique playmaking role at Bayern Munich as decisive factors. While acknowledging strong competition from contenders such as Spain's Lamine Yamal, Greechan notes that Kane's elite finishing, tactical intelligence, and overall footballing IQ made him the standout choice.