He should not be a candidate — Arsenal legend rules out star from Ballon d’Or race

Petit has ruled Harry Kane out of contention for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, insisting the England captain does not deserve to win the award.

Petit believes Kane’s performances in the biggest matches this year have cost him any realistic chance of lifting the prestigious individual prize.

“Following this World Cup, Harry Kane’s chances for the Ballon d’Or have diminished,” the 55-year-old told Sport1.

Kane enjoyed another prolific club season with Bayern Munich, finishing as the Bundesliga’s top scorer for the third consecutive year with 36 goals.

He also scored 10 times in the DFB-Pokal and netted 14 goals in 13 Champions League appearances.

Despite those impressive numbers, Petit feels the striker’s impact faded when the stakes were highest for both club and country.

The Ballon d'Or will be keenly contested, as Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, Inter Miami's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe all vie for the sport's biggest individual award.

Ousmane Dembele, who is the current holder, has a very slim chance of retaining it despite winning the UEFA Champions League with PSG last season.