Kane, Yamal, Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise, Rodri and Messi all have compelling cases for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Seven players, seven incredible stories and seven very different reasons why they could be crowned the world’s best footballer.
That is what makes the 2026 Ballon d’Or so exciting. There are plenty of other outstanding contenders on the shortlist. You could make a genuine case for several more, but for me, these seven stand out as particularly outstanding candidates.
We have seen extraordinary eras before. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the award for more than a decade, while in other years one outstanding individual seemed to rise above the rest.
This year, though, the conversation feels wide open. Let’s look at why these seven could be voted the winner!
Harry Kane: The Goalscorer
73 goals | 8 assists | Bundesliga, German Cup & German Super Cup | 6 World Cup goals | England World Cup bronze medalists
The last Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or was Michael Owen in 2001. Could Harry Kane be the next?
Kane has been nothing short of phenomenal. At Bayern Munich, he has continued to break records and produce numbers that are simply staggering.
Then came the World Cup. Captaining England, Kane scored six goals as the Three Lions secured a bronze medal, while taking his overall World Cup tally to 14.
Arguably one of the greatest goalscorers football has ever seen, Kane has put together an extraordinary season. His consistency, leadership and ability to find the net seemingly at will make his case incredibly difficult to ignore.
Lamine Yamal: The Phenomenon
25 goals | 20 assists | World Cup, La Liga & Spanish Super Cup
What do you say about Lamine Yamal?
He is incredible. The goals and assists are one thing, but it is his finesse, vision, football awareness and football IQ that really stand out.
At just 19, he has already won the Euros and World Cup with Spain and helped Barcelona to La Liga success.
He isn’t simply a young player with potential anymore.
He is a phenomenon.
Kylian Mbappé: The Goal Machine
58 goals | 13 assists | World Cup Golden Boot
Mbappé scores goals for fun.
Even without the team success Real Madrid would have wanted, his individual numbers have been frightening.
Then came another huge World Cup. Ten goals, the Golden Boot and another reminder of his ability to deliver when the world is watching. FIFA also records him as the all-time World Cup leading scorer.
When you consistently produce numbers like that, you simply cannot ignore the case.
Ousmane Dembélé: The Trophy Winner
26 goals | 14 assists | Champions League, Ligue 1, European Super Cup & more
The reigning Ballon d’Or winner knows exactly what it takes.
Dembélé has backed up that award with another exceptional campaign, playing a pivotal role as PSG collected major trophies, including another Champions League.
His case is the perfect combination of individual quality and team success.
Michael Olise: The Creator
27 goals | 35 assists | Bundesliga, German Cup & German Super Cup
Michael Olise has become a global superstar.
The numbers immediately jump out, particularly those 35 assists, but it is the way he plays that makes him so special. He creates something almost every time he gets on the ball, arguably the most exciting players to watch.
And his journey makes the story even better.
From Reading, to Crystal Palace, to Bayern Munich and now the very top of world football.
Watching that journey from his breakthrough in English football to performing on the biggest stages has been quite something. He has now added a great World Cup performance to his story too, making his rise even more remarkable.
Rodri: The Controller
2 goals | World Cup, FA Cup & EFL Cup | World Cup Golden Ball
Wow. Rodri quite simply controls games; he is the piece in the puzzle that makes everything work. He makes every teammate’s job so much easier. He is extremely pivotal, and when he is not playing you notice a huge difference.
He returned from injury, helped Manchester City win two trophies and then went on to win the World Cup with Spain, where he was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s outstanding player.
For a holding midfielder, that is absolutely extraordinary.
Lionel Messi: The GOAT
45 goals | 30 assists | MLS Cup | 8 World Cup goals | 4 World Cup assists | World Cup finalist
Then there is Lionel Messi.
At 39 years old, what he did at the World Cup was nothing short of phenomenal.
Eight goals, four assists and outstanding performances. Argentina reached the World Cup final and Messi produced yet another tournament full of moments that simply didn’t seem possible at his age. FIFA awarded him the Silver Ball, while he also finished second in the Golden Boot race behind Mbappé.
The vision, the movement, the ability to create something from absolutely nothing and the influence he continued to have on Argentina at 39 was astonishing.
Rodri may have officially won the Golden Ball, but for me, Messi was the best player at that World Cup.
For me, Messi is the best footballer I have ever watched.
What a story it would be if he could bow out by adding a ninth Ballon d’Or to his collection.
Seven different definitions of excellence, and there are plenty more players who could make their own compelling argument.
So, who do you think will win the Ballon d’Or?
