Ballon d'Or 2026: Who will surpass Ousmane Dembélé in London?

On October 26, the official Ballon d'Or ceremony will be held in London, where the world’s best of the season will be honoured after a spectacular club season and a World Cup campaign. The race for the award now revolves around names such as Ousmane Dembélé, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé, all of whom are vying for the coveted trophy.

Kane’s impressive numbers, but no major trophy

Harry Kane enjoyed a personally phenomenal season with 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England. He scored six goals at the World Cup, helping England secure third place, and won the German league and cup with his club. Despite a strong Champions League campaign and two thrilling semi‑final matches, he was eliminated in the semi‑final, leaving a true major prize still missing.

He remains, however, a serious contender for the Ballon, because his club performances and World Cup figures carry a lot of weight. The combination of club success and international impact makes his name indispensable in the discussion.

Mbappé, Yamal and Rodri: international top performers

Kylian Mbappé claims that his personal achievements entitle him to the Ballon d'Or. He scored 25 goals in the Spanish league and became the top scorer at the World Cup with ten goals, but missed a major collective award, which, according to tradition, is essential.

England trail Spain but share second‑place odds with France and Germany in Nations League

Lamine Yamal developed into a key player at FC Barcelona and won the World Cup with Spain, but a quarter‑final exit in the Champions League remains a blemish on his season. Rodri, who won the World Cup with Spain and was named the best player, had a disappointing club season at Manchester City, without a championship and with an early Champions League exit.

Both players are highly rated in the Ballon d'Or rankings, partly because of their World Cup performances, which many consider to carry significant weight in the voting.

Dembélé won the Champions League again with PSG and contributed a goal in the final. He refused to name himself as a contender and mentioned Kane, Mbappé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as favorites, saying about the latter: “He deserves it.” The words Dembél, Demb, Am, Le and Man sometimes appear as separate terms in discussions about the award.

The ceremony marks the 70‑year anniversary of the Ballon d'Or, one of the most respected individual awards in football. With a World Cup campaign and club season that are more exciting than ever for many, the outcome in London will send a clear message about which performances carry the most weight this year.