Vitinha Names Kane and Mbappe as Ballon d'Or Contenders

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha identified Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe as deserving candidates for the 2026 Ballon d'Or during a press conference ahead of the Super Cup final against Aston Villa. He stated that while he would prefer to award the honor to a teammate from the Parisian squad, both Kane and Mbappe are strong contenders.

Vitinha remarked, “Ballon d’Or? I’d give it to a Parisian, but there are good players like Kane or Mbappé.” The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled for Monday, October 26, in London, England.

Last season, Mbappe scored 42 goals and provided seven assists in 44 matches for Real Madrid, earning accolades such as the LaLiga Pichichi and UEFA Champions League Golden Boot. Kane, playing for Bayern Munich, achieved 61 goals and seven assists in 51 games and was the European Golden Boot winner, scoring six goals in seven matches for England during the World Cup.