Bellingham scored six goals at the World Cup
Injuries interrupted parts of Bellingham’s club season, but his World Cup gave the campaign a powerful finish. He scored against Croatia, twice against Mexico and twice against Norway on his way to six goals in the tournament. Those performances showed his ability to arrive in the penalty area from midfield.
The Ballon d’Or jury considers the full season, including individual performances, team success and conduct. A strong World Cup can carry major weight, but it is assessed alongside months of club football rather than treated as the only part of a candidate’s record.
Kane’s individual records strengthen his nomination
Kane scored 73 goals in 65 appearances for club and country, including 36 in the Bundesliga. He won the European Golden Shoe, reached 100 Bayern Munich goals in 104 matches and became England’s leading men’s scorer at World Cups.
Those are Kane’s individual records, not achievements awarded to England as a team. Kane scored often and maintained a high level throughout the season. Voters must still compare his season with players who had different roles or won other major trophies.
Rice contributed in more than one midfield role
Declan Rice helped Arsenal win the Premier League and reach the Champions League final. For England, the midfielder protected the defence, carried the ball forward and adapted when the team needed a different structure. His value cannot be measured only by the goals he scored.
The jury includes one journalist from each of the leading 100 countries in the FIFA ranking. Kane, Bellingham and Rice therefore do not form a single England campaign for the prize. They are three separate candidates with different strengths: scoring, attacking influence and control from midfield.