Former Premier League player Dean Ashton recently discussed the Ballon d'Or in an interview, arguing that Yamal is more deserving of the award.
Ashton told talkSPORT: "As an English compatriot, it would be very special to see Kane win. I think he is the most well-rounded candidate and the most complete striker—his statistics are amazing. But in my opinion, he is not yet a Ballon d'Or winner."
When asked why, he added: "Everyone can have their own opinion on what a Ballon d'Or winner should be. Whether it's trophies, winning the World Cup for your country, or other criteria. But for me, a Ballon d'Or winner should be someone who can do things that almost no one else can, someone who even their peers would marvel at."
"Kane is a great player and can do some brilliant things, but when I watch him, I don't feel like there's anything that makes me think 'wow, I can't do that, and neither can anyone else'. When I watch Yamal play, I'm truly amazed by some of his performances. Kane doesn't do anything that makes my jaw drop."
After hearing Ashton's comments on Kane's Ballon d'Or candidacy, Arsenal legend Martin Keown immediately defended the striker.
He believes the England captain truly deserves the award and emphasized his incredible goal-scoring ability.
"Harry is just as impressive," Keown said. "So much of what he's doing now—his finishing, in particular—and he's gone to a foreign country, scoring 102 goals in 101 Bundesliga games for Bayern Munich and scoring in 9 consecutive Champions League matches. He never stops scoring, and as an English player playing abroad, that's very important. I truly feel he deserves this award. I'm 100% convinced he should win it. I don't see anyone more deserving this year than him."