Ballon d’Or 2026: Austin Okocha names favourite player, clubs to win UCL this season

Super Eagles icon, Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha has named Barcelona, Manchester City and Bayern Munich as the favourites to win the UEFA Champions League title this season.

He also picked Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé as his choice for the 2026 Ballon d’Or award.

Okocha made his picks during an interview with French media outlet Le Journal du Dimanche ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s forthcoming Champions League clash against Manchester City on Wednesday.

The former Nigeria international acknowledged that the race for the Ballon d’Or remains fiercely contested, with several prominent players, including Harry Kane, Mbappé and Lamine Yamal, vying for the award.

Nevertheless, he argued that Mbappé deserves the accolade because of his exceptional goalscoring record at the World Cup, in the Champions League and in the Spanish league.

He said, “The suspense is more exciting than ever. There are a good half-dozen contenders: Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, the PSG players.

“I think Mbappé deserves it for having been the top scorer in the World Cup (10 goals), the Champions League (15) and the Spanish league (25).”

The former PSG midfielder identified Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich as the leading contenders for Champions League glory.

He highlighted Manchester City’s significant spending during the summer transfer window, Barcelona’s impressive performance in the early stages of the season, and Bayern Munich’s ability to retain their top players.