Ballon d’Or: Arsenal Star Declan Rice Names Player to Win Award, Snubs Mbappe and Yamal
- Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice revealed his preferred winner for the 2026 Ballon d'Or following the announcement of the full nominees list
- Rice earned his second consecutive nomination after Arsenal won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final
- The England international named a specific player he hopes will take home the prestigious award
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Declan Rice has publicly backed a fellow England international to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, naming his preferred candidate after the full list of nominees was confirmed on September 8.
Rice made the comments following Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Napoli in their opening Champions League group game of the 2026/27 season.
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The midfielder was among the Gunners players recognised on the Ballon d'Or nominees list after a standout campaign that included winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final.
Rice backs Kane for Ballon d'Or
The England international said he hopes Harry Kane will claim the award. Speaking after the Napoli match, via Mirror UK, Rice said:
“It's the second year in a row I have been nominated. It's obviously really good, I'm really proud. Obviously I know who I want to win it. I'd love to see Harry Kane win it, so I'm wishing him all the best in that.”
Kane's case for the award is built on a remarkable run of form during the period under review. The Bayern Munich striker scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country, contributing to Bayern's Bundesliga title win and England's run to the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Rice's own nomination marks consecutive years on the Ballon d'Or shortlist, a reflection of his growing standing in European football. Arsenal's success during the year gave several of their players a credible claim, but Rice was clear that his personal support lies elsewhere.
Petr Cech names his Ballon d'Or winner
Legit.ng previously reported that Petr Cech picked Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or despite the nomination of some top young players.
The former Arsenal goalkeeper backed his choice with Messi’s inspiring performance for Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA.
Source: Legit.ng
