Former Super Eagles captain Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha has named Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe as his pick for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, while insisting several other players remain in contention.
Voting for the award ended 10 days ago, but no clear frontrunner has emerged. In an interview with The Sunday Newspaper, Okocha said the race is unusually open and that about six players have strong cases.
He listed Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal and players from Paris Saint-Germain among the leading candidates. Okocha also said the uncertainty has made the buildup more exciting than usual.
Despite the crowded field, the former Nigeria international backed Mbappe to win, arguing the Real Madrid star deserves the honour after finishing as top scorer in the World Cup, the Champions League and the Spanish league.