Matthäus backs Kane, while Rodri continues to be favoured
The 2026 Ballon d’Or is fast approaching: Tomorrow night on Monday the voting will open, while the shortlist already presents the top candidates. The 65‑year‑old record national player Lothar Matthäus has now spoken clearly and names his personal favourite. He speaks as part of a Sky Sports programme on Saturday and takes a look at the performances so far.
Ballon d’Or voting and shortlist
The vote for the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner will take place on Monday night, as already emphasized in the pre‑reports. The current shortlist is once again notable and the seriously contested field of favourites is very close. Christof, who is mentioned in the introduction, reminds that the end of the year is especially significant for football stars. Thus the question remains open which player will snatch the title of the best footballer of the 2025/26 season.
Matthäus once said that he only sees two candidates for the top favourites when he evaluates the past twelve months in full. He added verbatim: “There are two candidates who would be the top favourites for me if I assess these twelve months in full.” He criticised that many experts over‑rate the World Cup, even though the title covers an entire year. Rodri, who was named the best player of the World Cup, is for him practically already awarded.
Thus Rodri would be considered the main favourite for the second time in the eyes of the former international. Matthäus, however, stressed that this view does not reflect the opinion of all 150‑time German internationals. He pointed out that the assessment should be made over twelve months, not solely based on a tournament.
Matthäus elevates Kane to Beckenbauer – big praise ahead of Ballon d’Or
Matthäus' favourites: Rodri, Olise and Kane
In contrast, Matthäus personally saw two star players of FC Bayern Munich far ahead: Michael Olise and Harry Kane. He justified his choice with their goals, entertainment value and importance, and both have already won two titles. Olise and Kane have shown impressive performances this season that go beyond mere World Cup involvement. Matthäus stressed that this consistency at club level is a decisive factor for the Ballon d’Or.
When presenter Laura Wontorra asked for a decision between the two Bayern stars, and former footballer Tabea Kemme clearly backed Kane, it quickly became clear to Matthäus that Harry Kane was ultimately his favourite. He highlighted that Kane is also captain of the English national team, a detail that is particularly important to him. Matthäus added that Kane’s leadership qualities and his scoring rate push him further ahead compared to Olise. With that he concluded his personal preference for the English striker.
Bundesliga looks to England: Bayern stars in Ballon d’Or race 2026
The discussion shows how differently experts assess performances over the calendar year: While some favour Rodri because of his World Cup successes, Matthäus focuses on more consistent performances in the Bundesliga and international titles. The final decision will be broadcast live on Monday night, and the tight field of favourites keeps the outcome uncertain until the end. This tension remains open until the final decision on Monday.