Ronaldo Nazario names Mbappe his heir at Ballon d'Or ceremony in London

goal.com —

Brazilian football legend Ronaldo Nazario said at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London that Kylian Mbappe is his heir, praising the French star's complete skill set while admitting uncertainty about the winner among Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and Harry Kane. Ronaldo, a two-time winner, noted the race is highly competitive and unpredictable, saying all three finalists are exceptional talents. He highlighted Mbappe's speed, strength, goals, dribbling, and finishing as reminiscent of his own playing style, expressing happiness that his legacy continues. The ceremony marked the award's 70th anniversary, held in London where Sir Stanley Matthews won the inaugural prize in 1956. Kane, fresh off a three-trophy season with Bayern Munich, admitted to nerves but called it his best campaign, though he fell short in the Champions League and World Cup.


With a significance score of 1.3, this news ranks in the top 43% of today's 32429 analyzed articles.

Get summaries of news with significance over 5.5 (usually ~10 stories per week). Read by 10,000+ subscribers: