The Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday evening saw Harry Kane crowned the men’s winner – marking him as the first Englishman to receive the prestigious award since Liverpool‘s Michael Owen 25 years ago.
On this occasion, not one Liverpool player made the 30-man shortlist, with that fact standing as a bleak illustration of the Reds’ struggles last season, slumping to a fifth-place Premier League finish under Arne Slot, who was sacked ahead of the summer transfer window.
Now, Andoni Iraola is fronting a rebuild, and Liverpool believe they are well stocked for illustrious success. After spending so much money over the past several years, you’d think the Anfield side might find someone to challenge for the accolade in the coming years.
The Liverpool players who could win the Ballon d’Or
It would be remiss not to start with Alexander Isak, the record-breaking arrival from Newcastle United one year ago who appears to have turned the tide after a disastrous debut season.
Under Iraola’s wing, Isak has scored six goals from seven Premier League appearances, second only to Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
Isak would have to raise his game even higher and sustain that level over the next few years to put himself in the equation for the world’s best player. Kane, after all, scored 73 goals for club and country across 2025/26, talismanic and performing well beyond the parameters established for a world-class centre-forward.
Back at Liverpool, a bit deeper, Florian Wirtz is supposed to be a playmaking sensation. Supposed to be, sure, but that hasn’t translated to success thus far in the Premier League, with the German routinely harangued for disappointing performances.
He arrived for £116m. Not quite as heavy a fee as Isak. Nor, indeed, did Wirtz cost as much as Bradley Barcola, but he’s only marginally behind, and the talent that is latent within could yet see him become the poster boy of the Iraola era.
However, all these exciting Redmen may find themselves trumped by a younger member of the Anfield persuasion.
Liverpool talent will be “on the Ballon d’Or list”
Liverpool’s mega-money superstars are all talented players, but it would be very true to the club’s identity for the lot of them to be trumped by a homegrown hero, a future Three Lions legend who could emulate Kane.
Enter Rio Ngumoha, the 18-year-old winger who has bona fide potential when considering a future claim for the men’s Ballon d’Or title.
Ngumoha joined Liverpool from Chelsea’s academy when he was 15 years old. He has been eased onto the major stage, but it’s been clear for some time that he has the potential to be something special for the Merseysiders, blessed with electric pace and a fearlessness that will serve him well if/when challenging Lamine Yamal and the like for that elusive golden ball down the line.
Currently looking to extend his contract and ensure he has the time and space needed to grow into one of the world’s best, Ngumoha is already making waves at the highest level for Liverpool.
Moreover, he has a coach in Iraola who has something of a reputation for developing elite prospects and managing that very development. So many youngsters tipped for success fall by the wayside due to over-exposure at a young age.
That said, one of his youth coaches, Saul Isaksson Hurst, recognised his world-beating potential from the very start.
I don’t say it lightly, he is one of the best academy talents I have come across, and I have seen some top players become superstars.
What makes him stand out is his one-v-one ability on the ball – he can break lines, drive at players, beat players on either side and end product. I told his brother I expect him to see him on the Ballon d’Or list one day, I believe he can do that.
Ngumoha clearly has a long road in front of him, but there’s no question that he has the ability to establish himself as one of the best wingers in the world, already producing performances that suggest he’s not a million miles away from someone like Barcola, who joined Liverpool from Paris Saint-Germain for £123m in August.
After all, he’s producing on the biggest stages. Already catching the eye with Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions, Ngumoha is making his mark in the Champions League this term too, claiming two assists against Villarreal after a destructive display last week and dazzling with his dribbling skills.
|
Most Successful Dribbles in the Champions League (26/27) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Matches (minutes) |
Succ. Dribbles |
|
Lamine Yamal |
3 (270) |
31 |
|
Antonio Nusa |
3 (253) |
27 |
|
Rio Ngumoha |
3 (219) |
26 |
|
Alisson Santana |
3 (259) |
22 |
|
Anis Hadj Moussa |
3 (251) |
20 |
Pundit Daniel Sturridge has gushed over his “God-given ability“, and as he continues to find his feet in front of goal, racking up more goals and assists, there’s no question that Ngumoha will start to edge toward conversations of eliteness.
In the Premier League, for example, Ngumoha has made the most of his few opportunities over the first couple of months. He has started one of Liverpool’s seven fixtures, unleashed from the bench five times.
Nonetheless, he ranks inside the top 10% of positional peers in the Premier League for dribbles completed (2.71) per 90, also impressing with his duel-winning ability and the way in which he times his incisive runs into the danger area.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Ngumoha is one of the most exciting talents Liverpool have boasted for many years. In fact, he might just be the cream of the Premier League’s up-and-coming crop.
Sure, the likes of Isak and Wirtz and Barcola are expected to deliver world-class results after joining Liverpool for mega-money fees, but Ngumoha already fibnds himself causing just as much excitement on Merseyside – if not more.
Keep a close eye on Liverpool’s future superstar, whatever you do.
