Lead:
Harry Kane claimed the Ballon d'Or as the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001, securing 1,055 points to Kylian Mbappe's 1,027 in the closest competition under the current voting system. Kane received 40 first-place votes from the 100-member judging panel, compared to Mbappe's 23.
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Ashraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain — The Moroccan defender scored his first career hat-trick and provided two assists in PSG's 5-1 demolition of Le Havre in Ligue 1 Round 9, with goals in the 28th, 55th, and 69th minutes. The performance solidified PSG's position at the summit with an expanded four-point lead after Rennes suffered a 5-2 home defeat to Nice.Yannick Carrasco, Al-Shabab — The Belgian midfielder recorded a hat-trick, including two penalties, as Al-Shabab routed Al-Ahli 6-1 in Saudi Pro League Round 12. Carrasco scored in the 26th, 66th, and 82nd minutes, with Al-Ahli playing with ten men after goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi received a direct red card in the 22nd minute for handling outside the penalty area.Al-Sadd, Qatar Stars League — Al-Sadd defeated Al-Shamal 4-1 in Round 8, moving provisionally to the summit with 18 points. Al-Shamal remained winless in five consecutive league matches after their earlier AFC Champions League Elite loss to Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal (3-1), dropping to eighth place with 9 points.Lamin Yamal, Barcelona — Hansi Flick acknowledged Kane's Ballon d'Or merit while confirming Yamal possesses the qualities to be a future contender for the award, following the Spanish forward's strong domestic and international performances this season.Hamza Choudhury, Sheffield United — The midfielder raised over 130,000 dollars, including more than 100,000 British pounds, through a charity event in partnership with Nujum Sports, with proceeds directed to Children Not Numbers for emergency medical care and evacuation support for Palestinian children.Dakar Rally 2027 — Organizers Amaury Sport announced the relocation of next January's rally from Saudi Arabia to Portugal and Morocco citing regional developments, with the event scheduled to return to Saudi territory in 2028 for its 50th edition.What to Watch:
Barcelona face Deportivo Alaves in La Liga on Saturday at 22:00 Beirut time, with Flick's squad seeking to maintain consistency after recent setbacks. The Ballon d'Or race remains a focal point as Lamin Yamal and other young talents continue building credentials for future years.