Paris Saint-Germain ahead Ousmane Dembele picked up the 2025 Ballon d’Or, however who will raise the well-known particular person honour in 2026?
With the 2025/26 season effectively and actually underway, gamers are starting to make their case to land the historic award, and in a World Cup yr, there could possibly be many twists and turns.
Listed below are the 20 gamers who’re finest positioned to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or proper now, primarily based on present type and their respective group’s possibilities of silverware.
Rating components: To assist rank the gamers so as, we now have thought-about the next standards:
- Present type – how effectively a participant has carried out up to now few months
- Significance to their groups – how influential they’re to their groups’ performances
- Fame – what others say about them
|
2026 Ballon d’Or Energy Rankings |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Participant |
Age |
Membership |
Nation |
|
1 |
Kylian Mbappe |
26 |
Actual Madrid |
France |
|
2 |
Lamine Yamal |
18 |
Barcelona |
Spain |
|
3 |
Harry Kane |
32 |
Bayern Munich |
England |
|
4 |
Pedri |
22 |
Barcelona |
Spain |
|
5 |
Erling Haaland |
25 |
Man Metropolis |
Norway |
|
6 |
Vinicius Jr |
25 |
Actual Madrid |
Brazil |
|
7 |
Declan Rice |
26 |
Arsenal |
England |
|
8 |
Michael Olise |
23 |
Bayern Munich |
France |
|
9 |
Ousmane Dembele |
28 |
PSG |
France |
|
10 |
Jude Bellingham |
22 |
Actual Madrid |
England |
|
11 |
Luis Diaz |
28 |
Bayern Munich |
Colombia |
|
12 |
Raphinha |
28 |
Barcelona |
Brazil |
|
13 |
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia |
24 |
PSG |
Georgia |
|
14 |
Cristiano Ronaldo |
40 |
Al-Nassr |
Portugal |
|
15 |
Lionel Messi |
38 |
Inter Miami |
Argentina |
|
16 |
Virgil van Dijk |
34 |
Liverpool |
Netherlands |
|
17 |
Vitinha |
25 |
PSG |
Portugal |
|
18 |
Joao Neves |
21 |
PSG |
Portugal |
|
19 |
Mohamed Salah |
33 |
Liverpool |
Egypt |
|
20 |
Gianluigi Donnarumma |
26 |
Man Metropolis |
Italy |
10
Jude Bellingham
Actual Madrid and England
Jude Bellingham appears to be getting again to his finest following a layoff via harm, scoring some essential objectives for Actual Madrid, together with towards Barcelona in El Clasico.
The Englishman will certainly be in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the 2026 World Cup, and if he may also help the Three Lions finish 60 years of heartache, he’ll be within the dialog.
9
Ousmane Dembele
PSG and France
May he return to again? Properly, if PSG proceed their dominance in France and in Europe, and if Ousmane Dembele helps his nation to a World Cup win, there’s each likelihood.
The ahead netted his first objectives of the season on the finish of August earlier than a hamstring harm halted his progress. Nonetheless, the 28-year-old has loads of time to return to full health and make his declare of one other Ballon d’Or.
8
Michael Olise
Bayern Munich and France
Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise has continued his superb type on the Allianz Enviornment into his second season.
An everyday on the appropriate wing underneath Vincent Kompany, Olise is already into double figures for aim contributions with Munich. In the meantime, his nationwide supervisor, Didier Deschamps, has stated Olise “has the whole lot”, with France and Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano calling the attacker a “magician”.
7
Declan Rice
Arsenal and England
Now an important member for membership and nation, Declan Rice is arguably the most effective midfielders in Europe proper now, shining in a barely additional ahead position on the Emirates underneath Mikel Arteta.
After his two gorgeous free-kicks towards Actual Madrid within the Champions League final season, Rice goes from power to power and has been praised by England legends David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
6
Vinicius Jr
Actual Madrid and Brazil
Vinicius Jr controversially misplaced out to Rodri within the 2024 Ballon d’Or however he now seems to be getting again to his finest as he eyes the historic particular person award.
On the left wing underneath Xabi Alonso on the Bernabeu, Vinicius is scoring recurrently for Madrid and was even handed the captain’s armband in a current Champions League victory.
5
Erling Haaland
Man Metropolis and Norway
Jamie Carragher has just lately referred to as Erling Haaland the “biggest goalscorer to ever play in English soccer”, together with his ridiculous begin to the season resulting in the ahead himself saying he’s in his finest type.
Scoring objectives for enjoyable with Man Metropolis and Norway, Haaland could possibly be about to play at his first World Cup in 2026, which might be his nation’s first since 1998.
4
Pedri
Barcelona and Spain
Pulling the strings in Barcelona’s midfield, Pedri is seen because the biggest midfielder proper now and can be seeking to enhance on his eleventh place end final trip.
The Spaniard has even caught the attention of iconic midfielder Paul Scholes, with the Man Utd legend calling Pedri his “new favorite footballer”.
Hansi Flick has additionally referred to as Pedri a “particular” participant, including that he “can be turning into a greater chief” for his facet.
3
Harry Kane
Bayern Munich and England
Harry Kane is constant to do what he does finest – rating objectives regularly. With Bayern Munich, Kane scored a outstanding 17 objectives within the first 9 video games for the German champions, turning into the quickest participant this century to succeed in 100 objectives for a facet enjoying in considered one of Europe’s prime 5 leagues.
The England captain may even have his eyes on the 2026 World Cup, which could possibly be his final on the age of 32. Delight for membership and nation in 2026 will put him in a robust place.
2
Lamine Yamal
Barcelona and Spain
Lamine Yamal has received the Kopa Trophy on the Ballon d’Or awards for the final two years, so it feels as whether it is only a matter of time till the Barcelona star takes house the most important particular person honour.
Nevertheless, Barca at present path Actual Madrid in La Liga and have already dropped factors within the Champions League group stage.
Nonetheless, if Yamal carries the Catalan giants to silverware and star in his first World Cup, 2026 could possibly be his yr.
1
Kylian Mbappe
Actual Madrid and France
Main the way in which as the present 2026 Ballon d’Or favorite is Actual Madrid famous person Kylian Mbappe.
The Frenchman has begun the 2025/26 marketing campaign in red-hot type in entrance of aim, with Madrid trying good underneath new supervisor Xabi Alonso.
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has even referred to as Mbappe the “finest on the earth”, and on present type, it’s onerous to argue towards the Madrid fan.
