Search

    Select Website Language

    GistReel

    With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly presumably in the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d’Or hasn’t felt so open in over 20 years, with countless players now starting each season believing they have a chance of winning football’s most prestigious individual award.

    Ousmane Dembele emerged from a career marred by injuries and inconsistencies to win the ballon ‘d or 2026 in 2025, and he was a strong contender again in 2026.

    Dembele primarily clinched the prize due to his achievements in helping Paris Saint-Germain win their first European Cup; the Champions League is once again expected to have a significant impact on the Ballon d’Or race this year.

    However, this is also a World Cup year, so displays during the summer in North America could have a significant impact on the conclusion.

    Don’t forget that the Africa Cup of Nations will also be included, which means that certain players may have not only performed well for their clubs but also impressed at two important competitions throughout the campaign.

    Spain’s triumph in the World Cup final not only ended the season, but also the race for the Ballon ‘d or 2026, with no one able to make any further claims.

    Over the last nine months, GOAL’s Ballon ‘d Or 2026 Power Rankings have tracked the most likely recipients of the 2026 Golden Ball, and here is who we anticipate will stand atop the podium at the ceremony in London on October 26.

    Top 10 Ballon D’Or Ranking 2026

    10. Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona)

    All eyes were on Lamine Yamal as Spain prepared for the World Cup, but another Barcelona youth, Pau Cubarsi, outperformed him.

    The 19-year-old followed up another title-winning season with the Blaugrana by making a name for himself on the international stage, with Cubarsi being regarded as the best centre-back during the North American tournament.

    The defender was voted Best Young Player following Spain’s victory in the final, as Cubarsi helped La Roja concede only 10 shots on goal and a single goal on their path to collecting the trophy.

    9. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain)

    If we were to name the best player in the Champions League knockout stages, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would be head and shoulders above the others.

    The PSG winger became the first player in tournament history to score or assist in seven consecutive knockout games, including some spectacular strikes as the defending champions fought their way to another European title.

    Kvaratskhelia’s season-long form, however, has not reached those same heights, and Georgia’s inability to qualify for the World Cup threatens to limit where he can finish in the final Ballon d’Or rankings. There is still a road to the podium for the man they name ‘Kvaradona’, and he couldn’t have done more to get there.

    8. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)

    After a disappointing season by his own lofty standards, Erling Haaland went into ‘Terminator Mode’ to start the 2025-26 season, becoming a one-man battering ram for Manchester City as they sought to re-establish themselves as contenders for the major prizes.

    A subsequent dry spell to begin 2026 threatened both Haaland’s Ballon d’Or chances and City’s hopes of silverware as they were knocked out of the Champions League, but he and the team recovered, winning the FA Cup and Carabao Cup while pushing Arsenal all the way in the Premier League title race.

    And so while Haaland failed to land the biggest trophies available to him, his Golden Ball candidacy was undoubtedly boosted by Norway’s first appearance at the World Cup since 1998, where their star striker took full advantage by netting seven times during their first-ever run to the quarter-finals.

    7. Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain)

    Injuries hampered Dembele’s effect on PSG’s first half of the season, so defending his Ballon d’Or title appeared to be out of the question.

    However, after regaining full fitness, he fought his way back into the conversation by rediscovering his greatest form, most notably with match-winning performances against Liverpool and Bayern Munich in the Champions League knockout stages, before scoring again in the final against Arsenal.

    Dembele still needed to make an impact at the World Cup to help his cause, and he finally scored his first tournament goals, a hat-trick against Norway being the highlight of his six-goal campaign.

    However, he was overshadowed by several of his teammates in North America, so winning back-to-back Golden Balls is almost probably out of reach.

    6. Rodri (Manchester City)

    Rodri didn’t look like the same player for much of the 2025-26 season after returning from the ACL injury that ended his chances of defending the Ballon d’Or in 2024.

    Though he had his moments in a Manchester City shirt as they won two titles, he continued to battle with fitness and appeared slow at times.

    All of it was forgotten at the World Cup, where Rodri was one of Spain’s standout performers as the team won its second title. Rodri has been named Player of the Tournament, putting him back in contention for another Golden Ball, which many thought was out of reach.

    top-10-ballon-dor-ranking-2026
    Photo by Pablo Rodriguez/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

    5. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid).

    Is this the year Kylian Mbappe wins the Ballon d’Or? Almost since his debut as a teenager at Monaco, the forward has been dubbed a future Golden Ball winner. Despite turning 27 in December, Mbappe is still waiting for his chance to stand on the podium.

    For much of the season, he could have done little more to give himself the best chance of ending that wait, as Mbappe carried a struggling Real Madrid to the point where he sustained a knee injury from which he struggled to fully recover, during which time Los Blancos’ hopes of finishing the season with a trophy faded.

    Mbappe, on the other hand, tends to save his greatest performances for World Cups, and for the third time in a row, he was one of the standout performers, scoring ten goals and winning a remarkable second Golden Boot.

    4. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)

    Anyone who thought that Michael Olise would struggle to make the transition from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich was greatly incorrect, as the winger has put together two years of outstanding performances for the Bundesliga winners.

    The 24-year-old has grown into one of Europe’s most fearsome forward players, making his mark on the Champions League, most notably against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, where he dragged them for long periods before capping the tie with a goal back in Bavaria.

    Olise’s club performances also helped him secure a starting spot in the France squad despite stiff competition, and he was a standout in Les Bleus’ World Cup campaign, providing a record-breaking seven assists thanks to his ingenuity and eye for a pass.

    3. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)

    Lionel Messi’s days of being nominated for the Ballon d’Or were thought to be over, but after leading Inter Miami to their first-ever MLS Cup before enjoying a sparkling World Cup with Argentina, there is still a real chance that the eight-time winner adds another Golden Ball to his collection.

    Messi was a class apart on his way to winning a second-straight MLS MVP title, scoring six goals and assisting seven times in Miami’s six play-off games alone, and his success at the club level should undoubtedly be considered by Ballon d’Or voters.

    He went on to score eight goals and contribute four assists in a spectacular World Cup, and while he couldn’t bring Argentina all the way this time, he did enough to demonstrate, at 39, that he is still one of, if not the finest, footballers in the world.

    2. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

    Lamine Yamal, the bookmakers’ Ballon d’Or favourite entering the season, is on track to become the first player under the age of 21 to win the trophy – and he doesn’t even have to wait until 2026!

    The Barcelona teenager’s efforts in the latter rounds of last season’s Champions League led many to regard him as the best footballer in the world, and his second-place result behind Dembele in the vote reflected this.

    Some still believe Yamal needs to produce more decisive moments in big games, while others are concerned that the number of matches he has played at such a young age is causing an increase in injury issues, which ultimately led to the premature end of his club season and contributed to his limited output for Spain at the World Cup.

    He was still able to demonstrate his particular dynamism when La Roja won the championship in North America, but Yamal’s failure to mark the tournament with his own unique imprint means he may fall just short in the Ballon d’Or race once more.

    1. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)

    There will always be those who do not fully appreciate Harry Kane, but now that he has gotten the trophy monkey off his back that so many used to beat him with, the Bayern Munich striker has looked like a man on a mission, utterly determined to show that he is also worthy of individual recognition as he has found the back of the net at an incredible rate.

    In addition to scoring numerous goals, Kane demonstrated his all-around game to deadly success for the Bundesliga champions, and he netted six times for England during their World Cup semi-final run.

    Coming up short in North America allowed others to grab the Ballon d’Or from him, but given that this is a medal that is typically awarded to the player who has had the best individual season, it’s difficult to argue that Kane did not finish at the top of the podium.

    Previous Article
    Can We Bring Back NORMAL Compliments? 😂
    Next Article
    Belgium end coach Garcia’s reign after World Cup campaign

    Related Diaspora Updates:

    Are you sure? You want to delete this comment..! Remove Cancel

    Comments (0)

      Leave a comment