{
  "id": 10945149,
  "title": "Gurpreet reveals his Ballon d’Or pick: Mbappe, Kane or Yamal?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/gurpreet-reveals-his-ballon-dor-pick-mbappe-kane-or-yamal",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T12:44:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/sport/gurpreet-reveals-his-ballon-dor-pick-mbappe-kane-or-yamal-1.500693635"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, the veteran Indian goalkeeper, faced a challenging task when asked to select his preferred candidate for football's prestigious Ballon d'Or award. Speaking exclusively to Gulf News, Gurpreet mentioned Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, and Lamine Yamal as leading contenders for the honor.\n\nMbappe, the Real Madrid forward, had a remarkable individual campaign, topping both La Liga and the Champions League in the 2025/26 season with 42 goals in 44 appearances. He continued his stellar form at the World Cup, where his ten goals earned him the Golden Boot and made him the tournament's all-time leading scorer. Gurpreet noted that Mbappe has previously been a strong contender for the Ballon d'Or but has yet to win it, suggesting it might be long overdue for him.\n\nAnother contender highlighted by Gurpreet was Harry Kane, the England captain and Bayern Munich striker. Kane had an exceptional season, scoring 61 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions, including 36 goals in the Bundesliga. He also clinched the European Golden Shoe for the second time by scoring 36 goals in the Bundesliga. Given Kane's impressive goal-scoring record, Gurpreet found it difficult to rule him out as a potential winner.\n\nThe youngest candidate mentioned by Gurpreet was Lamine Yamal, the 19-year-old Barcelona and Spain sensation. Yamal had another outstanding campaign, contributing 24 goals and 17 assists for Barcelona in all competitions. He also played a significant role in Spain's World Cup victory. While Yamal's numbers may not match those of Mbappe or Kane, his creativity and influence have made him one of the most influential young players in world football. Gurpreet believed that Yamal had a strong case for the Ballon d'Or as well.",
  "summary": "Dubai: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is preparing for the challenge of facing some of Brazil’s biggest stars, but the India goalkeeper was given a different test when asked to choose his Ballon d’Or winner. Speaking exclusively to Gulf News, Gurpreet was asked who he believes deserves to claim football’s most prestigious individual prize when the winner is announced next month. The veteran goalkeeper…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}