Dubai: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is preparing for the challenge of facing some of Brazil’s biggest stars, but the India goalkeeper was given a different test when asked to choose his Ballon d’Or winner.
Speaking exclusively to Gulf News, Gurpreet was asked who he believes deserves to claim football’s most prestigious individual prize when the winner is announced next month.
The veteran goalkeeper found it difficult to settle on one name, with Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal among the leading candidates for the award.
“There’s a lot of good candidates, we’ve seen a lot of chat about the nominees and who should win it,” Gurpreet said.
Mbappe has once again put together a remarkable individual campaign. The Real Madrid forward finished as the top scorer in both La Liga and the Champions League during the 2025/26 season, scoring 42 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions.
He then continued his extraordinary goalscoring form at the World Cup, where his 10 goals earned him the Golden Boot and made him the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
“I think Mbappe has been a Ballon d’Or candidate in the past where he hasn’t won and probably deserved to,” explained Gurpreet.
“I feel like he’s long due.”
Then there is Kane, whose numbers provide perhaps the clearest statistical argument of the three.
The England captain enjoyed the most prolific season of his career in 2025/26, scoring 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich across all competitions.
Kane also claimed the European Golden Shoe for a second time after scoring 36 Bundesliga goals.
Gurpreet highlighted the Bayern striker’s incredible goalscoring record as another reason the decision is so difficult.
“Then there is Harry Kane, he’s scored about 60 goals this year so it could also be him.”
But Gurpreet then turned his attention to the youngest of the three candidates, Barcelona and Spain sensation Lamine Yamal.
The teenager enjoyed another outstanding campaign, helping Barcelona retain La Liga while recording 24 goals and 17 assists for the club in all competitions.
He then played a part in Spain’s World Cup triumph, adding another major international honour to his growing collection.
And while Yamal’s numbers may not match Kane’s or Mbappe’s in terms of goals, his creativity and influence have made him one of the biggest names in world football at just 19.
“For me though I think Lamine Yamal has a good shot,” Gurpreet said.
With three of football’s biggest stars all able to make a compelling case, Gurpreet was left with plenty to consider before settling on his preferred candidate for the Ballon d’Or.
