Former France international Emmanuel Petit, who won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000 and also claimed Premier League and FA Cup titles with Arsenal, believes Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or hopes are over despite another outstanding goalscoring campaign.
“Harry Kane’s Ballon d’Or chances are over. If you base that only in the Bundesliga, okay, no problem at all. But in the Champions League and with the national team, when it started to be really hard to win, I think he disappeared,” Petit told
Mr. Gamble. “I can’t point the finger at him because he tried everything he could, and he scored many goals, but he didn’t have an impact in the big games, just like in the Champions League. So I think there are a few names ahead of him.
“Lamine Yamal? He had a great World Cup. You know the rules for the Ballon d’Or have changed so much, just like the rules on the pitch. Rodri has been the best player again during this competition. Messi had a great competition, but he plays for Miami. I know the World Cup is above any title you want with your club. But in the meantime, you have to win the title. Is it going to be a Spanish player? I have no idea. But it’s going to be tough. And in the end, I hope it won’t be a commercial decision.”
Kane once again delivered elite numbers for Bayern Munich, but Petit believes the Ballon d’Or is ultimately decided by performances in the biggest moments. While he praised Kane’s effort and goalscoring, he argued that the England captain lacked the defining performances in the Champions League and at the World Cup that separate Ballon d’Or winners from the rest.
Do you agree with Petit, or has Kane done enough over the past year to remain a genuine Ballon d’Or contender?
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