Kane favored to win Ballon d'Or ahead of Yamal and Mbappe

Harry Kane, the England captain and star forward for Bayern Munich, emerged as the favorite to win the prestigious Ballon d'Or award at the ceremony held in London on October 30, 2026. He faces competition from Barcelona's Lamine Yamal and PSG's Kylian Mbappe for the title of world’s best footballer. The 70th edition of the Ballon d'Or, presented by France Football, occurred in England for the first time, commemorating the inaugural winner, Stanley Matthews, and could result in the first English winner in 25 years.

Kane achieved a remarkable 73 goals in 65 matches across all competitions for club and country in the previous season, helping Bayern Munich secure both the league and cup titles, while also leading England to the semi-finals of the World Cup. At 33 years old, Kane expressed a desire to attain this accolade, calling it a significant milestone in his career. However, he acknowledged that his semi-final exits from both the Champions League and the World Cup left his chances uncertain. "I think my wife would prefer to know and my family … it’s very stressful for everyone," he stated, referring to the anticipation surrounding the award announcement.

Lamine Yamal, who finished behind Ousmane Dembele in last year’s race, is seen as a future Ballon d'Or winner. Despite a hamstring injury cutting his season short, the 19-year-old remains optimistic and indicated that he believes he and Mbappe are the best players currently, asserting, "this year I would deserve it because of what I’ve won."

In contrast, Kylian Mbappe, 27, has secured numerous individual accolades without winning major titles with either Real Madrid or the French national team. He was the top goalscorer in La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup, etching his name in history by becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 10 goals. "Being the all-time top scorer in World Cup history is something that really stands out," Mbappe remarked, adding that he would vote for himself.

Voting for the Ballon d'Or involves a football journalist from each of the top 100 FIFA-ranked nations, who rank their top 10 players from a 30-man shortlist. The player with the most points from these rankings wins the award. While the Ballon d'Or does not carry a cash prize, it significantly enhances a player’s market value and can lead to substantial bonuses from clubs.

For the women’s Ballon d'Or, Alexia Putellas is the frontrunner, potentially winning it for the third time following an injury-plagued year for Aitana Bonmati. Putellas, who previously won the award in 2021 and 2022, was part of the Barcelona side that clinched the Champions League last season before her move to London City Lionesses. Ewa Pajor from Poland, a former teammate at Barcelona, poses the main challenge to Putellas after scoring 11 Champions League goals last term.