Ballon d’Or 2026: Favourites to win award ahead of World Cup
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The curtain has fallen on the 2025-26 club season, with Paris Saint-Germain capping another remarkable campaign by lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy, setting the stage for what promises to be a fiercely contested race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Attention now shifts to the FIFA World Cup, which begins in just 10 days and is expected to play a decisive role in determining the winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
While several players have enjoyed exceptional club seasons, football’s biggest tournament offers one final opportunity to strengthen their credentials for the sport’s most prestigious individual honour.
Ousmanne Dembélé
Few players have enhanced their Ballon d’Or prospects as dramatically as Ousmane Dembélé.
The French forward has been at the heart of PSG’s success over the past five months, helping the club secure another Champions League title with a series of match-winning performances.
Dembélé scored in the round-of-16 clash against Chelsea, netted twice in the quarter-final at Anfield, struck three times against Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, and added another goal in the final.
Those contributions have elevated the reigning Ballon d’Or holder into one of the leading contenders for the 2026 award.
Vitinha
PSG midfielder Vitinha is another player whose stock has risen significantly following the club’s European triumph.
After finishing third in the 2025 Ballon d’Or standings, the Portugal international could climb even higher if he helps his country enjoy a successful World Cup campaign.
A deep run by Portugal, particularly if accompanied by influential performances from Vitinha, would make him a serious contender for football’s top individual prize.
Michael Olise
Few players can match Michael Olise’s attacking output this season.
The Bayern Munich winger recorded 22 goals and 26 assists, producing one of the most impressive statistical campaigns in European football.
Although Bayern fell short in the Champions League semi-finals, a standout World Cup with France could erase concerns about the club’s European disappointment and propel Olise into the Ballon d’Or conversation.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane remains firmly in the race after another prolific season in Germany.
The England captain scored 61 goals and registered seven assists for Bayern Munich, underlining his reputation as one of the world’s most reliable goalscorers.
Should England challenge for the World Cup title, Kane’s chances of winning his first Ballon d’Or would increase significantly, especially if he adds another strong scoring record on the international stage.
Lamine Yamal
Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal has enjoyed another outstanding campaign, but the teenager faces a tougher route to the Ballon d’Or.
Barcelona’s Champions League quarter-final exit has weakened his case compared with some of his rivals, meaning a truly extraordinary World Cup may be required to place him at the top of the rankings.
However, few players possess the talent to transform a tournament quite like the Spanish prodigy.
Kylian Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé also enters the tournament knowing that his club achievements alone may not be enough to secure the Ballon d’Or.
Yet the French superstar has repeatedly delivered on football’s biggest stage. Already a World Cup winner and one of the competition’s most influential modern players, Mbappé has another opportunity to enhance his legacy.
If France enjoys another deep run and Mbappé produces the kind of performances that have defined his international career, he could quickly emerge as one of the favourites for the award.
Final Stretch Begins
With domestic and European competitions now complete, the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or enters its decisive phase.
Dembélé may currently hold a slight advantage following PSG’s Champions League success, but the World Cup has a long history of reshaping football’s individual awards.
Over the next few weeks, the sport’s biggest stars will have one final chance to convince voters that they deserve to be crowned the world’s best player.
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