Ballon d’Or 2026: Okocha names favourite, predicts UCL winners

Super Eagles legend Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha has named Barcelona, Manchester City and Bayern Munich among the favourites to win this season’s UEFA Champions League.   The former Nigerian international also tipped Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or award.   Okocha made the predictions during an interview with French media outlet Le Journal du Dimanche ahead of the Champions League clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City scheduled for Wednesday.   The former Nigeria international acknowledged that the race for the Ballon d’Or remains fiercely contested, with several prominent players, including Harry Kane, Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, vying for the award.   Nevertheless, he argued that Mbappé deserves the accolade because of his exceptional goalscoring record at the World Cup, in the Champions League and in the Spanish league.   He said, “The suspense is more exciting than ever. There are a good half-dozen contenders: Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, the PSG players.   “I think Mbappé deserves it for having been the top scorer in the World Cup (10 goals), the Champions League (15) and the Spanish league (25).”   The former PSG midfielder identified Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as the leading contenders for Champions League glory.   He highlighted Manchester City’s significant spending during the summer transfer window, Barcelona’s impressive performance in the early stages of the season, and Bayern Munich’s ability to retain their top players. Tags:

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