{
  "id": 9496130,
  "title": "2026 Ballon d’Or: Michael Owen agrees with Kylian Mbappe on who should win award",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/2026-ballon-dor-michael-owen-agrees-with-kylian-mbappe-on-who-should",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-24T05:33:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/24/2026-ballon-dor-michael-owen-agrees-with-kylian-mbappe-on-who-should-win-award/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Former England striker Michael Owen has expressed his belief that Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe has a strong chance of winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or award. In an interview with Get French Football News, Owen echoed Mbappe's assertion that the French forward deserves the prestigious France Football accolade, noting that Mbappe's impressive scoring records in La Liga and the World Cup make him a legitimate contender. However, Owen acknowledged that Mbappe's absence of major titles in a World Cup year, and lack of trophies in both La Liga and the Champions League, could potentially work against him. Despite this, Owen emphasized that Mbappe's remarkable achievements put him in a formidable position to claim the coveted award. Reflecting on his own Ballon d’Or triumph in 2001, Owen noted that he did not actively campaign for votes, suggesting that modern social media engagement has changed the dynamics of the award. Currently, Mbappe and Barcelona's rising star Lamine Yamal are among the frontrunners, along with Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, who is also regarded as a leading candidate for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.",
  "summary": "Former England striker, Michael Owen has said that Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe is in a good position to win the Ballon d’Or this year. He acknowledged, however, that the Frenchman’s lack of trophies to complement his excellent performances for club and country may work against him. In an interview with Get French Football News, Owen […] 2026 Ballon d’Or: Michael Owen agrees with Kylian Mbappe on…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "2026 Ballon d’Or: Joao Felix names player to win award ahead of Harry Kane, Mbappe",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/2026-ballon-dor-joao-felix-names-player-to-win-award-ahead-of-harry",
        "published": "2026-09-24T05:37:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe to play in different position under Zinedine Zidane – report",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/24/real-madrids-kylian-mbappe-to-play-in-different-position-under",
        "published": "2026-09-24T07:45:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}