FORMER Super Eagles captain and football legend Austin Okocha has backed Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or while identifying Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as leading contenders for Champions League glory.
News Point Nigeria Sport reports, citing PUNCH Sports Extra, that Okocha made the remarks in an interview with French publication Le Journal du Dimanche ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s trip to Manchester City, where he acknowledged the competitiveness of the Ballon d’Or race but maintained that the French forward deserves the prestigious individual award.
Read also: Chelle Backs Return To Two-Year AFCON Cycle, Says Its Best For African Football
The former Paris Saint-Germain playmaker identified Harry Kane, Mbappe, Barcelona youngster Lamine Yamal and several PSG players among the leading contenders for the award, but pointed to Mbappe’s goalscoring record as the reason he favoured the Real Madrid star.
“The suspense is more exciting than ever. There are a good half-dozen contenders: Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, the PSG players,” Okocha said.
He added that Mbappe’s remarkable scoring figures across major competitions made him deserving of the honour.
“I think Mbappe deserves it for having been the top scorer in the World Cup (10 goals), the Champions League (15) and the Spanish league (25).”
Read also: Maresca Confident Manchester City Will Win Appeal Over Financial Charges
Turning to the UEFA Champions League, Okocha identified Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as his leading contenders for the title, citing their squad strength, recruitment and performances.
The former Nigerian international believes Manchester City remain serious challengers after investing heavily in their squad during the summer transfer window.
“Of course. City are still among the main contenders. They spent a lot of money last summer to strengthen their squad (nearly €500 million),” he said.
Okocha also backed Barcelona, highlighting their impressive start to the season and the attacking partnership between Raphinha and Yamal.
He further tipped Bayern Munich to mount a strong challenge, noting that the German giants came close to winning the competition last season and had managed to retain their core players.
Read also: Man City Beat Liverpool 3-0 In First Game After Guilty Verdict, Top Table
“I also see FC Barcelona, who are having a remarkable start to the season with the Raphinha-Yamal duo, and Bayern Munich, who came very close last season and have managed to keep their starting eleven intact. With another year under their belts, this team will be difficult to beat,” he added.
Okocha’s assessment places Mbappe among his leading candidates for individual honours while identifying Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as the teams he believes possess the quality and stability to challenge for European football’s biggest club prize.
