Over the years, English football has produced some truly wonderful midfielders. Across his career, Chris Waddle did more than enough to establish his place among the very best of them.
Waddle played 62 times for the Three Lions between 1985 and 1991, scoring six times. He made a name for himself with the likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, before winning three successive Ligue 1 titles in France with Marseille. He later returned to England, signing for Sheffield Wednesday, and was voted FWA Footballer of the Year for his stellar performances in the 1992/93 season.
Although he doesn't have the biggest media presence these days, it's clear that he still watches football closely. With that in mind, it's interesting to learn who he has backed to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
Waddle Baffled by 'Bizarre' Ballon d'Or Expectations
As quoted by Goal, the iconic English midfielder discussed who might win the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Before naming his favourite, Waddle questioned why team trophies are viewed so highly when it comes to voting, when the prize is an individual award.
He explained: “There's a lot of players I'd say that deserve it. But it's just bizarre for me how you've got to win trophies to win the Ballon d'Or. Football's a team game. It's not about an individual - that’s completely different from a team. So Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League, so all of a sudden people from PSG are thrown forward.
“With Harry [Kane], you look at the individual and think, ‘He's played for a good side and he's in the Champions League, got to the semis and lost out to Paris’. England didn’t win the World Cup, so that'll harm his chances.
“You're judged on what you do as a player individually. You don't have to be in a winning team - that’s 11 players. Eleven players are not going to get the Ballon d'Or, one player gets it. I don't get this rule where if they didn't win a cup and they didn't win the World Cup, they didn't win the Champions League, so that's him out of the reckoning. I just don't get that."
Waddle Backs English Ballon d'Or Winner
Adding to his point, he then insisted that Harry Kane deserves the prize over someone like Lamine Yamal, despite the latter's World Cup triumph with Spain. He explained:
“I'm sorry, but you judge players on a season and Harry Kane's had a phenomenal season for Bayern Munich and England. Why is he not being awarded it? Because he didn't win a trophy, which is a team game, not an individual as the Ballon d'Or is. I don't get that.
“Will some Spaniard now come forward and Yamal get it? Who's had a decent season with Barcelona, won the league and they've won the World Cup, but he didn't really play well in the World Cup, let's be honest, he's been injured a lot.
“But all of a sudden people like that come forward because Spain won the World Cup. It's not about that. The Ballon d'Or should always be the best player of the season. And Harry Kane, from my eyes, should lift it.”