A Tottenham Hotspur player winning the Ballon d'Or? As impossible as it is to envision a player on a struggling squad that finished 17th in back to back seasons and won't even been playing any sort of European football in the 2026/27 season, it is free to dream. And as the World Cup reminded us, there are some real gems at Tottenham who should be among the best players in their positions but were held back by awful coaching and awful organizational leadership.
Here are three players who can now dream of a Ballon d'Or and being at least on that top 30 shortlist next year with a big season under Roberto De Zerbi.
RB Pedro Porro
After watching how brilliant Pedro Porro was at the 2026 World Cup, the Spanish national team starting right back 100 percent has to be the top choice here. Porro was sensational all summer long, parlaying off the confidence De Zerbi gave him back after becoming Spurs manager to blow out all the other right backs in the world, including Morocco's Achraf Hakimi.
A great two way player who can play elite perimeter defense and create chances with tireless crossing, Porro is a world class footballer; there is a reason both Real Madrid and Manchester City immediately called up Spurs about his transfer before De Zerbi managed to sign him to an extension.
RW Mohammed Kudus
Mohammed Kudus under Roberto De Zerbi is going to feed families, and while Xavi Simons, arguably the biggest of the two blockbuster summer 2025 transfers, is another candidate, the Dutchman is coming off an ACL tear while Kudus has already recovered from a soft tissue injury in the second half of the 2025/26 season.
The Ghanaian international was easily Spurs best player last season, and Thomas Frank was truly exposed as the worst manager in top level football after his injury. So if Kudus could get Spurs, the worst team in Europe under Frank, to look competent when he was healthy, imagine what he can do with De Zerbi and a better team.
DM Mateus Fernandes
Former West Ham United star Mateus Fernandes played for a team that was so horrible that they were even worse than Spurs with even worse coaching and players around him. And yet, Fernandes was so good that even Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid were after his signature. He is not yet 23 years of age, but with his all around defensive quality, chance creation, and the banger goals he can score, like the one in preseason vs. MK Dons, this is a player whose potential is beyond what anyone can imagine, especially under De Zerbi at Tottenham compared to Nuno Espirito Santo's West Ham.
Add us as a preferred source on Google