Samir Nasri reckons Harry Kane did not deserve to win the Ballon d'Or. The former Manchester City star argues that the Bayern Munich striker doesn't make the difference in the big matches.
Kane claimed the prize on Monday evening at a ceremony in London, becoming the first English player to win it in 25 years.
The Bayern and England man finished ahead of Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal in the voting.
Last season brought 73 goals for club and country. Kane fired Bayern to the domestic double and the Champions League semi-finals, then played a key role in England's run to the World Cup semis.
His coronation on stage drew warm applause as a fitting reward for an exceptional year. Nasri, the former Manchester City and France midfielder, saw things very differently.
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Speaking on Canal Plus, Nasri said: "Harry Kane wins the Ballon d'Or. Well, it's the statistics that made the difference. He is a wonderful player with a lot of ability, but he was never the player who carries his team to the furthest point or leads them to victory in the very big matches. There is always a small weak point, but he is an exceptional player."
Asked whether Kane's win left him cold, he replied: "No, that's a description well below what I feel!"
The numbers tell a different story. Kane scored 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern last season, the most any player has managed in a single campaign in the German club's history. Add his England goals and the tally reaches 73 goals and eight assists in 65 appearances.
Individual brilliance only takes you so far. Bayern went out of the Champions League in the semi-finals to Paris Saint-Germain, and England fell at the same stage of the World Cup, beaten by Argentina.
Thierry Henry, one of the hosts on the night, had a classy message for Kane after the Englishman edged out Mbappe.
"I would always support my French countrymen, but I must say something about Harry Kane," Henry said. "I have followed him from the start, and he had to suffer a great deal and harshly in order to achieve what he has reached. He is a deserving winner, and I congratulate him."