Ex-Arsenal star takes aim at Harry Kane after Ballon d’Or win with ‘weakness’ claim
Former Arsenal and Manchester City star Samir Nasri has explained the one reason why Harry Kane didn't deserve to win the Ballon d'Or.
On Monday evening, England captain Kane was named the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner at the London Palladium.
The 33-year-old finished ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal to claim the prestigious award, but Nasri believes that he hadn't done enough to deserve the trophy,
READ MORE: France Football chief reveals how close Ballon d'Or race was between Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe
Samir Nasri explains the one reason Harry Kane didn't deserve the Ballon d'Or
Heading into the Ballon d'Or ceremony, it was hard to split Kane, Mbappe and Yamal, with fans from across the world making strong arguments for all three star players.
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However, Kane's spectacular 73 goals for club and country last season, alongside winning a domestic double with Bayern Munich, was enough to see him become the first Englishman in 25 years to win the Ballon d'Or.
But for former Man City and Arsenal player Nasri, Kane's lack of performances in 'very big matches' is something that he believes sets him aside from the other Ballon d'Or frontrunners.
"Harry Kane, Ballon d'Or... OK, the statistics made the difference," he said on Canal+.
"He's a fantastic player with so many qualities. But he's never been the player who carried his team somewhere or made his team win in the very big matches. There's often a slight weakness. But he's an extraordinary player."
When asked if he was not excited by Kane's win, Nasri replied: "No, that's an understatement!"
The idea that Kane doesn't show up in big games has followed him around for some time, but in the 2025-26 season, which resulted in his Ballon d'Or win, it's a far from fair comment.
In the German Cup final against Stuttgart, Kane single-handedly won the trophy for Bayern Munich, netting all three goals in the 3-0 win.
Kane also scored in both legs of the Champions League quarter-final vs Real Madrid, including Bayern’s winner at the Bernabeu, while scored a penalty and assisted Luis Díaz in the 5–4 first-leg in the semi-final with Paris Saint-Germain, before scoring again in the return.
For England, Kane rescued England with goals in the last 32 clash with DR Congo, with goals in the 75th and 86th minutes, overturning a 1–0 deficit.
That being said, he didn't score in either the quarter-final vs Norway or the semi-final loss to Argentina.
Thierry Henry heaps praise on Harry Kane after Ballon d'Or win
Despite Nasri's comments, Henry, perhaps Arsenal's greatest ever player, had nothing but good things to say about the Tottenham Hotspur legend after his Ballon d'Or win.
“I would always back my fellow Frenchmen but I have to say something about Harry Kane," he said, working as one of the presenters at the ceremony.
"I have seen him since the beginning. He had to suffer really hard to achieve what he has achieved. A worthy winner, well done.”
Topics: Harry Kane, Ballon d'Or, Samir Nasri, Bayern Munich, Arsenal
Ben McCrum