Lothar Matthaus defends Michael Olise’s ninth-place Ballon d’Or finish

German football legend Lothar Matthaus believes Michael Olise deserved his ninth-place finish in the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings, arguing that the Bayern Munich winger’s position was fair given the quality of players who finished ahead of him.

Writing in his column for Sky Germany, Matthäus defended the voting outcome despite suggestions that the French international deserved a higher position following an impressive season for Bayern.

“Olise finishing ninth is fair enough. You have to look at the names ahead of him: Rodri, Ousmane Dembélé and Erling Haaland,” Matthäus wrote.

Matthäus backs Ballon d’Or voting

The former Germany captain also praised the overall voting process, expressing satisfaction with the final rankings.

“Overall, it was an excellent vote. My compliments to everyone who organised it and made the decisions,” he added.

Olise finished ninth in the 2026 standings, placing him among the top 10 players in world football after a strong campaign with Bayern Munich. His ranking also placed him ahead of several established international stars.

Harry Kane was the rightful winner

Matthäus was equally convinced that Bayern teammate Harry Kane deserved to win the prestigious individual award.

“I’m happy for everyone who receives an award, but I believe Harry Kane is the player who deserved the Ballon d’Or the most,” he wrote.

The former Ballon d’Or winner highlighted Kane’s consistency throughout the season, his ability to entertain supporters and his conduct as a professional footballer.

Kane’s triumph was also significant for Bayern Munich and the Bundesliga, with Matthäus suggesting that having the world’s top individual award winner playing in Germany could boost the league’s international profile.

Although Olise missed out on a higher finish, Matthäus’ comments underline his belief that the final rankings fairly reflected the strength of the competition and the performances of the leading candidates.