Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterFormer Ballon d'Or winner Ruud Gullit has explained how he believes Kylian Mbappe could receive the France Football award, citing personal preference as the deciding factor.The Dutchman narrowed his list down to three names: Mbappe, Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane, then admitted that no one has stood out as the Ballon d'Ors clear winner.Gullit claimed that it is usually not too difficult to pick out the France Football awards victor, and that voters will have a tougher time in 2026.Ruud Gullit explains why personal preference could win Kylian Mbappe the Ballon d'OrSpeaking with ComeOn, the Dutchman stated that personal preference will be a considerable factor in the minds of Ballon d'Or voters, with Mbappe, Yamal and Kane each possessing similar claims.Gullit said: Kylian Mbappe was the top scorer at the World Cup, Harry Kane was the top scorer in the Bundesliga, but Erling Haaland was top scorer in the Premier League and won two trophies. You may like If he wants the Ballon d'Or, he needs to help his teammates France World Cup winner delivers damning Kylian Mbappe verdict Why is Kylian Mbappe always so good at the World Cup? 'Erling Haaland will win the Ballon d'Or one day, but 2026 isn't his year' Clinton Morrison on football's biggest individual prize, the Manchester Derby and...getting mauled by the Tigers Rodri was excellent for Spain and had a fantastic World Cup. Lamine Yamal? We all love him but he was not the star of the World Cup final, and he didnt make it to the Champions League final.So theres a lot to think about, confessed the Dutchman. I think this year the winner is going to be picked out of personal preference, not so much on what they have achieved."Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.For Mbappe, that could spell positive omens. With Yamal and Kane unable to produce clear-cut cases for their worthiness over the Frenchman, it is personal preference that could see him emerge as victor.Kane has, like many Premier League players of the 2010s, historically been snubbed for the award, while Mbappe and Yamal have each received podium finishes.Should Ballon d'Or voters decide that the Frenchman has waited long enough, coupled with Yamal having additional years left to win France Footballs award, then the trophy could be his come October. What to read next Our performance until that stage had clearly made Kylian Mbappe angry, and suddenly you saw this explosion Frank Leboeuf on Frances epic World Cup 2022 final defeat World Cup Golden Boot race: Who is the tournament's top scorer? Sadio Manes Ballon d'Or shortlisting shows why fans shouldnt take the award seriously On who he would choose, Gullit was undecided. If I was picking based on my personal preference, it would be between three players but I cannot pick between them because it is too hard, he confessed.None of them won the Champions League this year. Yamal won the World Cup but he was not the main man for Spain. [But] I can understand why people would vote for Yamal.I can understand why people would vote for Mbappe, [and] why people would vote for Kane, he continued. Thats why they are the three I would pick, but dont ask me to pick just one of them.What Kane has done in Germany is unbelievable, but then I watched the World Cup, and I watched the Champions League, and what Mbappe and Yamal did is also unbelievable, Gullit concluded.TOPICSKylian MbappeRuud GullitLamine YamalHarry KaneReal MadridBarcelonaBayern MunichSpainPremier LeagueLa LigaChampions LeagueBundesligaWorld Cup 2026Kedar BayleySocial Links NavigationFreelance WriterKedar Bayley is a trained journalist specialising in culture reporting. As a fan of Liverpool FC,he writes on the Reds often. Knowledgable about all things sports, cinema and television,you can find his words in Screen International, FourFourTwo, Manchester Evening News and more.
