Ballon d’Or: World Cup-winning coach takes a stand against Kane | OneFootball

Harry Kane is among the candidates for the Ballon d’Or. Spain’s national team coach, Luis de la Fuente, however, has a very different set of favorites.

Harry Kane is once again having an outstanding season, putting himself in contention for one of the biggest individual honors in world soccer. At FC Bayern, they’re hoping the Englishman will finish at the top of the Ballon d’Or rankings.

Kane isn’t getting any support from Spain, though. National team coach Luis de la Fuente made it clear in an interview with Sport BILD that he would prefer to see one of his own national team players win the prestigious award.

When asked who should win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, de la Fuente was explicitly confronted with FC Bayern’s hopes for a Kane victory.

De la Fuente is counting on Spain’s stars

His answer was unequivocal: “Of course there are great players in England or Germany. But I think a Spaniard has to win it, because our players are the best in the world in many respects, and you can’t ignore them.”

Spain has several prominent candidates in the running. De la Fuente mentioned Lamine Yamal and Rodri, among others. In total, six Spanish players were nominated: Yamal, Rodri, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella, Fabián Ruiz, and Ferran Torres.

“It’s hard to believe that no Spaniard can win the title,” explained the national team coach.

Photo: Getty Images

De la Fuente thinks particularly highly of Yamal. The 19-year-old has everything it takes to one day reach the level of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. At the same time, the Spaniard emphasized how important the Barça star’s continued athletic and mental development is.

Kane is unlikely to be fazed by this. With his performances, the Bayern striker continues to provide the strongest case for staying in the running for the Ballon d’Or until the very end.