Deeney snubs Kane and Mbappe in bold Ballon d'Or top three, crowns Yamal best in world

Troy Deeney has sparked debate by leaving both Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe out of his personal Ballon d’Or top three, crowning teenage Barcelona and Spain forward Lamine Yamal as the best player in the world. The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place on October 26 at the London Palladium Theatre — the first time the event has been held in London, marking the 70th anniversary of the award.

Speaking as a pundit on CBS Sports Golazo, Deeney ranked his own top 10 from the official 30-man shortlist. His omissions were striking: Erling Haaland did not feature at all, nor did either of the two previous winners, Rodri and Ousmane Dembele.

Mbappe, despite winning the World Cup and claiming both the La Liga and World Cup golden boots, was placed fifth. Deeney’s reasoning was blunt: “Unbelievable stats, not really a great team player,” he said, pointing to Real Madrid’s failure to win major silverware as the decisive factor.

Kane fared marginally better in fourth, despite winning a domestic double with Bayern Munich. “From four to two you could go however you want,” Deeney said. “Unbelievable numbers, won trophies but had a disappointing England campaign.” Kane scored six goals as England finished third at the World Cup.

Deeney’s third place went to PSG winger Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, whom he described as “unbelievable and probably the best winger in world football” after the Georgian helped his club win both the Champions League and Ligue 1. Second place was awarded to Kane’s Bayern team-mate Michael Olise, who Deeney ultimately ranked above Kvaratskhelia on the strength of his performances at both club and international level for France.

At the top of Deeney’s list sat Yamal, the 19-year-old who guided Barcelona to La Liga and Spain to the World Cup. “Completed football,” Deeney said. “It was an easy pick.”

The rest of Deeney’s top 10 read: David Raya (sixth), Fabian Ruiz (seventh), Pau Cubarsi (eighth), Lautaro Martinez (ninth), and William Saliba (tenth).

With no single dominant performer this season, the 2026 Ballon d’Or is widely considered one of the most open in recent memory, and Deeney’s rankings reflect just how fiercely contested the vote is likely to be.