Premier League legend Steven Gerrard has thrown his weight behind England captain Harry Kane‘s bid to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
The former Liverpool midfielder has joined his voice with Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice to declare Kane as the clear favorite.
On Monday the football world turns to the London Palladium, where the sport’s most prestigious individual award will be presented.
Harry Kane gave the voters something to think about on Wednesday. Bayern and Arsenal played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the Champions League, and he scored from the penalty spot and provided an assist. After a pulsating night at the Allianz Arena, the 33-year-old said it would be “an honour” to win the Ballon d’Or. No Englishman has won it since Michael Owen in 2001.
He has support in his own camp. Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, speaking after the game, was just as emphatic about his England captain, calling Kane the “clear winner” among the Ballon d’Or contenders.
“His numbers speak for themselves,” Rice told
TNT Sports after scoring the equaliser in the closing stages in Bavaria. “The year he has had has been remarkable. When you play with him, you realise how good he is, and when you play against him, you see how much of a pain it is.
“He is ridiculous, such a good player, and I am lucky I can play with him, not so lucky I have to play against him.”
Harry Kane is widely regarded as the favorite for the 2026 Ballon d’Or after scoring 73 goals for club and country last season—the second-highest single-season total in modern football history behind Lionel Messi’s 82 goals in 2011/12.
“Those were two class interviews,” Gerrard said on
TNT Sports. “Declan, obviously very respectful, just talking about his admiration and love for his team-mate, and the respect and what he gives England, but also how tough it is to play against him.
“He’s such a clever player, Harry Kane. He was picking the ball up in all kinds of strange areas tonight – centre-back, left-back, right-back. The reason he does that is if he turns and he’s facing the opposition goal, he can play incredible passes.
“His vision, his passing range – you’re talking about things and just adding to how lethal he is in front of goal. You’re just talking about an all-round world-class player in Harry Kane, and I just hope, and I’ve got my fingers crossed for him, that he gets the recognition he deserves.”
“His range of passing, as a former midfielder, I want to tell you, he’s a centre-forward who can pass like the top midfielders in the world,” he added.
“He can pass like the best centre-backs in the world. He’s just so good, and he’s got no weaknesses in his game. Just an all-round world-class player, world-class human being.”
