Lineker was at the peak of his powers in 1986. He had scored 40 goals in his first season with Everton, including 30 in the First Division, before taking that form to the World Cup in Mexico.
After England failed to score in their opening two group matches, Lineker answered with a hat-trick against Poland. He then struck twice against Paraguay and once against Argentina, finishing with six goals in five games to claim the World Cup Golden Boot.
That record gives his argument real weight. Lineker was not simply a prolific club striker; he carried his scoring touch onto football’s biggest stage.
The counterargument begins with Diego Maradona, who was ineligible for the award because it was restricted to European players. Argentina eliminated England in the quarter-finals, with Maradona scoring both goals - one famously by hand, the other after a remarkable solo run.
“At that time, it was Diego - and everyone else. It was as if Maradona came from a different dimension,” Lineker said.
That admission is important. Lineker’s argument is not that he was better than Maradona, but that he deserved recognition among the eligible candidates.
Belanov had a compelling year of his own. He scored a hat-trick for the Soviet Union in their dramatic quarter-final defeat by Belgium and impressed for Dynamo Kyiv, who won the Soviet League and European Cup Winners’ Cup. He also finished as the latter competition’s leading scorer.
Lineker believes Eastern European support helped Belanov win the vote, but his respect for the Ukrainian forward has endured. The debate, meanwhile, remains unresolved.
As modern Ballon d’Or discussions continue to balance individual brilliance against team trophies, 1986 will keep returning as a fascinating test case - and Lineker’s regret is unlikely to fade.