{
  "id": 9125094,
  "title": "2026 Ballon d’Or: ‘I see it clearly’ – Nacho names favourite to win award",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/2026-ballon-dor-i-see-it-clearly-nacho-names-favourite-to-win-award",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-22T10:43:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/22/2026-ballon-dor-i-see-it-clearly-nacho-names-favourite-to-win-award/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former Real Madrid captain Nacho Fernandez has expressed his support for Kylian Mbappe as the favorite to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or award. Speaking to El Larguero, Nacho stated that he would have no issue with voting for a Barcelona player, provided their performance warranted such a choice. However, he firmly believes that Mbappe should be the recipient of the prestigious accolade this year. The 70th edition of the Ballon d’Or is set to be presented soon, with top players from around the world competing for the honor. During his conversation with Cadena SER, Nacho emphasized that he would be delighted if either a Spanish player or a Real Madrid player claimed the award, but specifically named Mbappe as his preferred candidate. He noted that while he has played alongside Barcelona players and achieved success together, Mbappe's physical prowess and scoring ability make him the standout choice in his opinion. Nacho, who had a successful tenure at Real Madrid following his time in the youth academy, departed for Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia at the end of 2024 after leading his previous team to UEFA Champions League triumph and Spain's victory in Euro 2024.",
  "summary": "Former Real Madrid captain, Nacho Fernandez, has stated that he would have no objection to voting for a Barcelona player as the Ballon d’Or recipient, provided such a choice is warranted. He, however, said he would vote for Real Madrid forward, Kylian Mbappe for the award this year. The 70th edition of the prestigious accolade […] 2026 Ballon d’Or: ‘I see it clearly’ – Nacho names favourite to…",
  "key_points": [
    "Nacho Fernandez supports Kylian Mbappe for 2026 Ballon d’Or.",
    "Mbappe's physical prowess and scoring ability make him favorite.",
    "Ballon d’Or to be presented soon for top global players."
  ],
  "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."
}