Jamie Carragher has ruled Harry Kane out of the race for the Ballon d’Or and explained why the England skipper won’t win the prestigious award.

Kane is among the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or later this year after enjoying a phenomenal season at Bayern Munich. He found the back of the net an astonishing 61 times in 51 games across competitions while also providing seven assists.

The 32-year-old has carried that form into the World Cup with England, firing the Three Lions to the Round of 16. A brace in a 2-1 comeback win over DR Congo means the former Tottenham Hotspur striker sits on five goals in four games.

Carragher: Kane won’t win Ballon d’Or

Kane has been one of the World Cup’s best performers thus far and is rivalling Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi (both six) and Erling Haaland (five) in the Golden Boot race. His red-hot form has kept Thomas Tuchel’s side in the tournament but Carragher doesn’t expect them to go on and win it.

Carragher feels England will fall short, which will ultimately cost Kane a Ballon d’Or win. The Liverpool legend wrote in The Telegraph:

“If the vote for the Ballon d’Or was being held right now, Kane would be the worthy winner, his heroics for England against DR Congo absorbing his 72nd goal of this season. Only Lionel Messi has recently hit those kinds of numbers. Not even Cristiano Ronaldo was so prolific in one campaign.”

Carragher added: “Based on the past 12 months, Kane should win the Ballon d’Or. Unfortunately, he probably won’t because in a World Cup year, it is bound to go to the star player of the winning nation.”

France have been the team to beat thus far and Carragher named Mbappe and Michael Olise as contenders. He also reckons Messi might end up winning his ninth award:

“Much as I want to believe England can still win it, there is nothing to support that opinion, especially after recent performances. If Argentina retain the cup, Messi will win the Ballon d’Or. If France win the competition, one of their key men will get it. Kane’s Bayern team-mate Michael Olise is a strong contender.”

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Carragher doesn’t think Mbappe‘s struggles with Real Madrid will prevent him from winning the award if he goes on to win the World Cup. He also tipped Ousmane Dembele to be in the running after enjoying “another fantastic season.”

Kane’s best Ballon d’Or finish came in 2024 when he finished fourth, missing out on a place on the podium. If he were to win the award, he’d become the first Englishman to do so since Michael Owen back in 2001.

Kane can win Ballon d’Or without World Cup glory

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A Ballon d’Or win isn’t reliant on World Cup glory, and Messi became the first player to win the award as a world champion since Fabio Cannavaro in 2006. There are other factors taken into account, including club success, of which Kane fired Bayern to the Bundesliga title.

If Kane were to win the tournament’s Golden Boot, that could also work in his favour against Mbappe and Messi. Should he lift the trophy itself, he’d almost certainly seal a place among the top three or even claim the award.

England face Mexico in the Round of 16 on Monday (July 6th) at the Azteca, hoping to make the quarter-finals. Kane has saved his nation several times, including with a brilliant double in a comeback win against Congo.

When it comes to polarising figures in the world of MMA, few men are as divisive as outspoken UFC Middleweight Champion, Sean Strickland.

However, for as much as the American may stir up controversy with his comments and actions, his resume inside the Octagon is seriously impressive.

Currently in his second reign as the UFC’s 185-pound titleholder, Strickland has gone toe-to-toe with some of the greatest fighters of his generation and has a number of notable victories on his resume.

Sean Strickland’s UFC Career Explored

The 35-year-old boasts wins over the likes of Israel Adesanya, Paulo Costa and Nassourdine Imavov, although his greatest career performance came when he defeated Khamzat Chimaev as a huge underdog to win the middleweight belt again at UFC 328 in May.

Strickland is renowned for his toughness. The California native has seven losses in 38 career fights, but has only ever been knocked out twice.

One opponent, though, hit Strickland so hard that he has never forgotten the experience.

Strickland Names Hardest Puncher He’s Faced in UFC

Heading into UFC 276 in July 2022, Strickland was undefeated at middleweight and ranked as the number four fighter in the division. When he stepped into the Octagon at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas that night, he was matched up with surging Brazilian contender Alex Pereira.

‘Poatan’ would go on to become a two-division UFC champion. However, at the time he faced Sean, he was competing in just his third career fight in the promotion.

Pereira won the pair’s bout via stoppage after just two minutes and 36 seconds. He caught Strickland with a vicious left hook that separated him from his senses, before closing the show with a stiff right hand.

During an interview with TNT Sports, Strickland confirmed that Pereira was the hardest puncher he has ever faced in his career, explaining just what it felt like to be caught on the chin by the fearsome striker.

“Here’s the thing, guys. I can go point-for-point with Alex. I can hit him. I can kick him.

Pereira would win the UFC Middleweight Championship from Israel Adesanya in his very next fight, although he would lose it back to him in their immediate rematch.

Following that defeat, Pereira moved up to light heavyweight, where he also won championship gold. In an unlikely twist, Strickland and Pereira have since become good friends and regularly spar together in preparation for fights.

Thankfully for Strickland, those sparring sessions don’t involve the sort of blows that Pereira landed on him when they fought for real.

The Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup has come to a close, leaving just 16 teams in the hunt to earn a first – or another – star on their badge.

The expansion of the tournament from 32 nations to 48 saw a more hectic group stage and this additional knockout round, which lived up to expectations. The inaugural Round of 32 saw some fascinating ties, as Argentina were taken to extra-time by Cape Verde, the Netherlands were knocked out by Morocco and Germany were upset by Paraguay.

Canada, Egypt and Norway won their first World Cup knockout matches, while ten of the 16 ties were decided on penalties or by winning goals from the 85th minute onwards. If the next stage of the competition comes close to resembling this level of drama, fans are in for an enthralling ride.

So, with the teams confirmed, some interesting fixtures set up, and with how unpredictable this World Cup has been already, it makes predicting what will occur in the upcoming knockout rounds extremely difficult. With that in mind, we’ve drafted in the assistance of Grok AI to provide its verdict, result-by-result.

Last 16

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As far as the Round of 16 goes, Argentina and France are the only sides predicted to win comfortably, with routine victories against Egypt and Paraguay, respectively, forecasted. Two of the co-hosts are expected to progress into the final eight, with the USA predicted to beat Belgium 2-1 in Seattle, while England’s pursuit of a second star is expected to come to an end on penalties at the hands of Mexico.

Meanwhile, Grok believes fellow co-hosts Canada’s dream tournament will conclude in this round, with Morocco tipped to overcome them with a 2-1 win in Houston. Elsewhere, Spain are expected to end Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup endeavours, Switzerland are poised to beat Colombia on penalties, while Brazil are anticipated to narrowly avoid an upset against Norway.

Quarter-Finals

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France are tipped to continue their strong run by progressing into the final four with a clinical victory over Morocco in Boston. Spain, meanwhile, are predicted to be the team to end USA’s dreams, overcoming Mauricio Pochettino’s side’s home advantage as a result of their midfield dominance and their experience at major tournaments.

Brazil are also expected to spoil a host nation’s party, with Grok insisting that Carlo Ancelotti’s team will overcome Mexico in a passionate clash in Miami. Argentina round things off with the most dominant display of the quarter-finals, as Lionel Messi is tipped to once again lead his nation to a World Cup semi-final with a mesmeric display against Switzerland.

Semi-Finals

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France are predicted to narrowly edge past Spain in a box office all-European clash. Les Blues’ attacking depth is expected to just about prove to be too much for Spain’s possession game, with this high-tempo affair tipped to go the distance in extra-time.

Meanwhile, Brazil and Argentina meet in one of football’s greatest rivalries in Atlanta, and the game is expected to deliver drama. The Argentines are predicted to edge a fiery contest, which will ultimately be decided by their experience and star power in forward areas with Messi.

Third Place Playoff

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Brazil are tipped to claim Bronze with an emphatic victory over Spain. In typical third-place play-off fashion, an open game is predicted to ensue in Miami.

Final

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The final delivers an intense repeat of the 2022 showdown in Qatar, where Lionel Messi ended his wait for a World Cup triumph by playing a key part in Argentina’s penalty shootout victory over France.

While that game provided end-to-end action and non-stop entertainment, a more cagey affair is expected this time around. France’s squad rotation and defensive solidity is expected to prevail, although the game is tipped to go to penalties after goals from Messi and Kylian Mbappe cancel each other out.

Didier Deschamps’ team are anticipated to edge the shootout, meaning France claim their third star.