Former Super Eagles captain Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha has backed Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or and named Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich among his favourites for this season’s UEFA Champions League title.
Okocha made his selections in an interview with French publication Le Journal du Dimanche ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s scheduled Champions League clash with Manchester City on Wednesday.
The former Nigeria international acknowledged that the Ballon d’Or race remains competitive, with Mbappé, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and several Paris Saint-Germain players among the potential contenders.
However, he believes Mbappé’s goalscoring achievements make him a deserving candidate for the individual award.
“The suspense is more exciting than ever. There are a good half-dozen contenders: Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, the PSG players,” Okocha said.
“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).”
Okocha also identified Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as leading contenders to win Europe’s premier club competition this season.
He pointed to City’s significant spending during the summer transfer window, Barcelona’s strong performances at the start of the campaign and Bayern Munich’s ability to retain key players as factors behind his selections.
The Champions League predictions reflect Okocha’s assessment of the three clubs’ squads and early-season form as the competition progresses.
Mbappé, meanwhile, will hope his performances for Real Madrid strengthen his case for the Ballon d’Or, one of football’s most prestigious individual honours.
