Thomas Muller has named the French duo Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappe as the two players who have impressed him most in the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, passing over his former Bayern Munich teammate Harry Kane.
The German star, who currently plays for Vancouver Whitecaps, revealed his thoughts in his newsletter roughly three weeks ahead of the awards ceremony scheduled to take place in London on October 26.
“For me, there are two candidates whose individual performances were the most impressive: Michael Olise and his fantastic World Cup partner Kylian Mbappe,” Muller said.
The former World Cup champion added: “Both combine showmanship with genuine lethality in front of goal.”
He continued: “In the finest details, they manage to combine efficiency, skill, and power, yet they make everything they do look unbelievably easy.”
Elaborating on his criteria, Muller added: “To me, this is the raw quality a player needs to become the best player in the world.”
He concluded: “It simply requires a touch of magic,” referencing the ability to make a difference beyond mere numbers and match results.
Olise had bolstered his standing in the race following stellar performances for France during the recent international break. While the shortlist of contenders also features Kane, Mbappe, Rodri, and Lamine Yamal, Muller narrowed his final selection strictly to the French pair.
