Lloris hails Kane's Ballon d'Or and predicts Mbappé's future

Hugo Lloris warmly congratulated Harry Kane on winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or, while expressing his conviction that Kylian Mbappé will eventually win the prestigious individual award. The former France goalkeeper spoke to L’Équipe the day after a ceremony in which the Bayern Munich striker finished ahead of the Real Madrid forward.

Having shared the Tottenham dressing room with Kane for ten seasons (2013-2023), Lloris is better placed than most to appreciate his former partner’s qualities. “I’m happy for him. It’s great to see a former teammate win the Ballon d’Or, at home, in London,” said the 39-year-old goalkeeper, now at Los Angeles FC. He highlighted the English international’s complete technical skill set: “He can do everything — short passes, long passes, he tackles, he comes back to defend, and he’s surely the best player in the box.”

Beyond statistics — Kane is the all-time leading goalscorer for the Three Lions — Lloris emphasized the London-born player’s humility: “He doesn’t seek the spotlight. He owes this Ballon d’Or to his professionalism and humility. He’s an example in our sport.” The 2018 World Cup winner also drew a parallel with recent winners: “Already, Ousmane Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or had rewarded a player focused on the collective, just like Karim Benzema in 2022. Harry is not just a goalscoring machine.”

On Mbappé, who finished second at 27 years old after a particularly sharp start to the La Liga season — 11 goals in 10 matches — Lloris was prophetic. “The planets weren’t quite aligned for him yet, but that will make him even stronger; he has everything to win it one day,” he said, convinced that the Real Madrid forward’s latest disappointment will only fuel his determination.