Former Bayern Munich star Thomas Müller has named Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappé as his two leading candidates for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, notably leaving former teammate Harry Kane out of his selections.
Writing in his newsletter, the Vancouver Whitecaps forward explained that Olise and Mbappé were the two players whose individual performances had impressed him most.
“For me, there are two candidates whose individual performances have impressed me the most, and they are Michael Olise and his brilliant partner at the World Cup, Kylian Mbappé,” Müller said. “The two combine spectacular play with a real goal threat. In the finer details, they manage to be efficient with their finesse and power while making the whole thing look incredibly effortless. To me, that’s the kind of material you need to be the world’s best footballer. You simply need that touch of magic.”
Müller did not explicitly explain why Kane failed to make his top two. The England captain nevertheless remains among the leading contenders after another prolific campaign with Bayern.
Müller continues to rave about Michael Olise
Olise, meanwhile, continues to impress his former Bayern teammate. Müller highlighted the French winger’s recent performance in the 7-0 Bundesliga victory over Union Berlin, in which Olise once again demonstrated his threat from distance.
“It’s nothing new, how he converts those strikes from outside the box, and yet it’s always a spectacle,” Müller said.
Olise and Mbappé are both among the nominees for this year’s award alongside Kane and several other leading contenders. Barcelona star Lamine Yamal is also expected to feature prominently after finishing behind Ousmane Dembélé in last year’s voting.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or winner will be announced in London on October 26.
Müller himself remains in strong form following his move to Vancouver. The 2014 World Cup winner recently extended his contract with the Whitecaps and joked in his newsletter that things have been going well in front of goal.
“For me personally, things are going pretty well in front of the opposition goal,” Müller said. “At times, I’ve even been accused of showing dynamism.”
GGFN | Brook Genene
