With the 2025/26 football season effectively over following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the debate over who should win the next Ballon d’Or has taken centre stage.
The race for the prestigious individual award is already shaping up as one of the most intriguing in recent years, with Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Rodri and defending champion Ousmane Dembélé among the prominent names in early rankings and discussions by football figures and major sporting outlets, according to Sports Illustrated.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26, 2026, with the winner set to succeed Dembélé, who claimed the 2025 award.
According to UEFA, Messi remains the record winner with eight Ballon d’Or titles, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five.
The 2026 race has been shaped by contrasting cases.
Kane has been backed for his remarkable individual numbers and club form, while Yamal’s case has been strengthened by Spain’s World Cup triumph.
Messi and Mbappé have also returned strongly to the conversation following their performances in the tournament, while Rodri and Dembélé remain prominent names in assessments of the race.
Source: The Punch online
