Harry Kane Betting Favorite for Ballon d’Or, says Freie Presse
Harry Kane enters the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London as the betting favorite to win the award for the world’s best footballer, according to odds cited by the Freie Presse, despite capturing no major international titles during the previous season.
Bookmakers Favor Bayern Striker Over Yamal and Mbappé
The 70-year-old history of the Ballon d’Or reaches a milestone as London hosts the gala for the first time in the British capital. Bookmakers have positioned the FC Bayern Munich striker ahead of Spain’s World Cup winner Lamine Yamal from FC Barcelona and France’s Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid. Lionel Messi also retains outside chances following his retirement from the Argentina national team after the summer World Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo and World Cup winner Rodri are likewise categorized as outsiders by oddsmakers.
If Kane secures the trophy at the 21:00 ceremony broadcast by DAZN, he will become the first Bayern player to win the honor since Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in 1981. He would also mark the first English recipient since Michael Owen in 2001.
Global Nominations Highlight Bayern Munich Presence Across Categories
Ten separate categories will distribute awards during the evening event organized by the French magazine France Football in cooperation with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The men’s voting pool consists of one sports journalist from each of the top 100 nations, while the women’s vote relies on representatives from the top 50 nations. The separate FIFA World Player of the Year award maintains an independent lineage, having operated in partnership with France Football between 2010 and 2015.
While no German players feature in the men’s shortlist, the women’s category includes German international Klara Bühl from FC Bayern. Additional representation for the Munich club spans the young talent category with Lennart Karl, the Goalkeeper of the Year shortlist with Ann-Katrin Berger, and dual nominations for both the men’s and women’s Team of the Year categories. In the coaching sector, Bayern men’s manager Vincent Kompany joins the nominees for Men’s Coach of the Year.
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