Robert Lewandowski wants Lamine Yamal to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, but the former Barcelona striker also highlighted Bayern Munich duo Michael Olise and Harry Kane as serious contenders for football's most prestigious individual award.
Speaking to The Athletic (h/t Mundo Deportivo ) ahead of Monday's ceremony , Lewandowski praised Yamal's extraordinary ability at such a young age while suggesting the race is more open than during the era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
For much of the past two decades, the Ballon d'Or was largely a contest between Messi and Ronaldo.
The pair collected 13 awards between 2008 and 2023, with Luka Modric in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022 the only players to interrupt their dominance during that period.
Lewandowski believes the current landscape offers a wider range of potential winners.
"We come from an era where two or three players were the clear favorites to win the Ballon d'Or. Now I see that it's a bit more open. Perhaps you can assess 10 players and find that they all have a case for winning this Ballon d'Or,"explained the Polish striker
Lewandowski wants Lamine to win the Ballon d'Or. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Although Lewandowski is no longer in contention himself, having moved to MLS with Chicago Fire after his Barcelona spell, he remains closely interested in the race.
He singled out Lamine, whom he watched develop from his debut for Barcelona at just 15, as one of the players he would most like to see lift the trophy.
"Of course, I wish Lamine Yamal wins the Ballon d'Or, because he is incredible, especially for his age, but even so, if you compare him to the previous era, he's a bit different,"Lewandowski said.
Lewandowski did not limit his assessment to his former Barcelona teammate. The veteran striker also highlighted Bayern Munich's attacking partnership between Kane, Olise and Luis Diaz, describing their combination as an excellent fit.
"Harry Kane arrived at Bayern at the peak of his powers, and what he is doing is incredible, the number of goals he scores. Bayern had been missing a striker of that calibre after I left,"Lewandowski said.
He also praised Olise's ability to influence matches, pointing to the winger's decision-making in front of goal and his understanding of when to shoot or create an opportunity for a teammate.
Kane and Olise also in the running. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
When comparing Olise with Yamal, Lewandowski acknowledged that the Barcelona youngster receives much of the attention but argued that the Bayern winger deserves equal consideration.
"Lamine and Olise, as wingers, are among the most powerful players in their team, alongside Harry Kane as a striker. I am impressed by the type of player Olise is. He has a huge future ahead of him,"he said.
Lewandowski went further by suggesting that a stronger World Cup scoring record could have transformed Olise's standing in the Ballon d'Or race.
"For me, probably if Olise had scored one or two goals at the World Cup, he would be the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or, alongside Lamine Yamal or Harry Kane,"he added.
Lewandowski's endorsement of Yamal is unsurprising given their time together at Barcelona. At the same time, though, his comments on Kane and Olise suggest that the race for the top honour remains tightly contested.
