Connelly's bold 2026-27 predictions: Olise to win 2027 Ballon d'Or, Spurs to go down?

ESPN writer Bill Connelly, reflecting on how small early samples can amplify confirmation bias, published eight bold predictions for the 2026-27 soccer season based on limited matchdays. He points to last year’s partial hit rate—Arsenal won the Premier League; Bayer Leverkusen missed the Bundesliga top four; Wolves and West Ham were relegated; and Rangers finished outside Scotland’s top two. This time, his lead call is that Michael Olise will win the 2027 Ballon d’Or, arguing that other likely contenders faltered in the club season and that Olise’s early 2026-27 output has been extreme.