Former Arsenal and Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri has cast doubt on Harry Kane’s status as the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner, arguing that the Bayern Munich and England forward has not been the type of player to single-handedly lead a side through its most important fixtures. Nasri made the comments after Kane was awarded the prize in London on Monday, finishing ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal. Speaking to Canal+, the Frenchman said Kane’s numbers and overall ability had secured the award. “His statistics were decisive,” Nasri said of Kane’s Ballon d’Or success. “But he has never been the player who takes his team to another level or wins the biggest matches for them.” Even so, Nasri described Kane as an “extraordinary player.” Kane, 33, registered 73 goals across all competitions for Bayern and England last season and collected three major trophies, including the Bundesliga title.
