England vs. Spain: Thomas Tuchel explains why "committed" Harry Kane should win Ballon d'Or ahead of Lamine Yamal

England boss Thomas Tuchel has backed Harry Kane to win the Ballon d'Or ahead of the likes of Lamine Yamal.

The Three Lions will begin the September international break with a clash against World Cup champions Spain at Wembley on Saturday.

Many are keen to see how England striker Kane and Spain winger Yamal play given the two are seen as the frontrunners for the Ballon d'Or.

Speaking to ITV, Three Lions boss Tuchel backed his captain to win the award due to the number of goals the forward scored, saying: "After this season, yeah. Seventy-plus goals, three titles with Bayern Munich, semi-finals at the World Cup and in the Champions League.

"He’s getting better and better. He added a level of physicality to his match. He’s just so committed to high press and so committed to being involved in every part of the match, be it in deep buildup, be it in finishing, be it in buildup play in the middle block, be it in defending. It’s just the full package."

The winner of the Ballon d'Or will be announced on October 26 in London, and it would be surprising if someone other than Kane or Yamal were presented with the award.

Harry Kane to win the Ballon d'Or? ?

Thomas Tuchel hopes so as he runs through the England skipper's achievements and his hopes to see Kane at the 2030 World Cup ??????? pic.twitter.com/HSs5EIHwyb
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) September 24, 2026

Harry Kane's 2025-26: A worth Ballon d'Or winner?

The Ballon d'Or is awarded based on a seasonal criteria rather than a yearly one, so there is no reason why Kane should not be considered among the favourites.

In 51 games for Bayern Munich last season, the 33-year-old scored 61 goals and produced seven assists, winning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and German Supercup.

The striker played seven games at the 2026 World Cup and scored seven times, while he also registered one assist.

It is difficult to overlook Kane's phenomenal record in the final third, and he would be a worthy winner of the Ballon d'Or.

Lamine Yamal's Ballon d'Or chances: Can Barcelona winger beat Harry Kane?

Rodri won the 2024 edition of the Ballon d'Or, and Spain winning Euro 2024 was seen as a significant contributing factor as to why he was presented with the award ahead of Vinicius Junior.

Yamal won the World Cup with Spain, so it would not be surprising if many voters were swayed by his country's success on the international stage.

However, the Barcelona winger only scored one goal in the tournament, while failing to provide an assist, and his lack of end product in the summer may damage his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or.