Rio Ngumoha, 18, Says He Can Win the Ballon d’Or Like Kane

• Liverpool winger Rio Ngumoha, 18, says he wants the Ballon d’Or and believes he can win it, per The Mirror.
• Harry Kane’s award has made the England teenager dream of the prize, and he calls the captain an inspiration to every young player.
• Ngumoha grew up in Manor Park, Newham, left Chelsea for Liverpool in 2024 and has a chance to start against Croatia at Wembley on Thursday.

From the Cages of Manor Park to a Possible England Start

Rio Ngumoha has three senior England caps and an ambition that sounds enormous for a teenager. The Liverpool winger wants to win the Ballon d’Or, the award England captain Harry Kane won this autumn as the best player in the world. It is a bold claim, and Ngumoha makes it plainly. He says Kane’s win has changed how English players see the prize, and then he turns the conversation to himself. The 18-year-old grew up in Manor Park, left Chelsea for Liverpool in 2024 and could start for England against Croatia on Thursday.

Ngumoha said: “Yeah, 100%, Harry Kane winning the Ballon d’Or is definitely a big, big thing, being known as the best player in the world.”

“It’s also helped English football now because everyone’s seen one of us win the Ballon d’Or, it is definitely encouraging many more people to wanting to definitely be known as the best player in the world. For me, I would like to achieve it and I think I can do it.”

The Captain He Watches Every Day

Kane is set to become England’s most capped player at Wembley on Thursday. Ngumoha says the Bayern Munich striker is already helping the younger players and sets an example every day in training. The winger admits the two have barely talked.

Ngumoha said: “I haven’t spoken to him much, really. When I first came, I was a bit shy, so I was keeping myself to myself, but then they got me in the group, and just watching him train, watching all the players train, but especially him, like the finishing drills that you see.”

“You can see why he won it and why he’s known as the best striker, best player in the world. Definitely an inspiration to me, but just to every young player and probably every England player as well. He’s a top guy.”

With Bukayo Saka out injured, a start is possible. Ngumoha did not oversell it.

He added: “Hopefully. I think you know I’m competing with the best players in the world, so it’s not going to be easy.”

“But yeah, just if I can show myself in training and if the manager gives like faith and believes in me, then yeah, I’d love to start. But obviously, it’s difficult, and yeah, I just keep just keep going really.”

Manor Park, a Tough Brother and a Mum Who Moved

The belief started early. Ngumoha says he visualised playing for England as a kid, and that his brother James saw his talent from when he was about five. James is now his mentor, his agent and his best friend.

“Yeah, 100 percent because I feel like if you don’t visualise anything or you don’t dream big enough, then you might not ever achieve it. So I think just having the belief and the force in your mind thinking, one day I can play for England.”

“I think you definitely need to have that so you can drive to achieve it. So yeah, I’ve definitely always believed in it.”

“My brother has been a massive part of my journey. He saw the talent in me from when I was like five years old, which is crazy to say. But yeah, he’s my agent as well now. He just wants the best for me, and he’s really supportive.”

His brother was a tough taskmaster, and the hard work and endless training sessions have paid off. It also kept Ngumoha focused on football while he grew up in a tough part of East London.

“Yeah, growing up in Manor Park, everyone knows it’s a tough it’s a tough area,” said Ngumoha. “Newham, especially.

“But to be fair, I think the people around me and all my friends and family made sure I wasn’t a part of anything that was too rough, or just to keep me on my toes really. And I had football, which is a top, top escape route for any things such as like crime and stuff.”

“My brother is tough, sometimes. I definitely needed that when I was younger. My mum has done a lot for me. The hardest thing for her has been moving up to Liverpool. She left her job to come move up. She does everything for me and my brother. She’s just amazing.”

His mum Liz gave up her job at a school to move to Liverpool with him.

Leaving Chelsea, Missing the World Cup

Ngumoha had spells at West Ham and Arsenal before he joined Chelsea aged eight. He signed for Liverpool in 2024 and says the move gave him a clearer pathway to the first team. The choice is paying off. He has become a firm favourite with the Liverpool supporters he describes as “the best in the world.” In October he starred in a 4-3 Champions League comeback with two assists against Villarreal.

“I feel like I needed a new challenge. I feel like if I stayed at Chelsea… not saying that I wouldn’t have got to the first team as quick, because I believe in my ability, but I feel like Liverpool just gave me a new pathway. The plan that they set for me was straightforward really,” he said.

“For me, it was a no-brainer going to Liverpool, and they just said if I prove myself, because they know how much ability I had, then they know that I would definitely be a first-team player and definitely a star for them in the making. I think going to Liverpool so far has been the right choice.”

That confidence reached England. Ngumoha went to the United States in the summer with England’s pre-tournament training camp, scored a “worldie” in a behind-closed-doors game and played against New Zealand in a friendly. Thomas Tuchel noticed. Ngumoha was not on the long list, so he could not be promoted to the World Cup squad, and he says that took the pressure off and let him play his natural game.

Ngumoha added: “I feel like I’m quite fearless. I feel like if there’s an opportunity to beat my man, I’ll always do it. I feel like it was the way I came up really, playing in cages near my house.”

“To be fair, I knew before going to the camp that I couldn’t go to the World Cup anyway, which obviously as a young player you would want to go to these tournaments.”

“But it is difficult because I only started really playing towards the end of last year at Liverpool, but I just chose the pre-camp at the World Cup to just prove myself and just to be free and play with some expression.”

“I did that and I made a good impression, so I just want to keep up the impression.”

What Wembley Offers on Thursday

Thursday brings two England stories into one stadium. Kane is set to pass the appearance record that makes him England’s most capped player, and Ngumoha could be picked alongside him in the Croatia match. He knows he is competing with the best players in the world.

For now he is 18, three caps into an international career, and still working to keep up the impression he made in the United States. The Ballon d’Or is a long way off. Kane’s win has shown him that an Englishman can reach it, and Thomas Tuchel’s England will show whether Ngumoha earns that start.