With the 2026 World Cup now concluded and Spain lifting the trophy, attention in the soccer sphere turns to the final major individual prize of the year: the Ballon d’Or.
On Oct. 26 in London, the best and the brightest from across the globe will gather at a grand ceremony to see who has been the best in the world over the past season.
Unlike some previous years, where the winner seemed almost certain well before the ceremony, the 2026 race is far more open. A number of superstars have built strong cases, with major trophies—including the Champions League and World Cup—alongside outstanding individual performances putting several players in contention for the crown.
Here, we rank the leading favorites to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or and explain why each has a legitimate claim to soccer’s biggest individual honor.
The Favorites to Win the 2026 Ballon d’Or—Ranked
10. Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain/Spain)
You might think it is a stretch to suggest Fabián Ruiz is a genuine Ballon d’Or contender—but there is a strong case to be made.
After all, he is the only player in the world this year to win both the Champions League and the World Cup, after triumphing with Paris Saint-Germain and Spain.
And Ruiz was far from a passenger in either success.
At PSG, he played a key role in the club’s Ligue 1 title despite battling injuries throughout the season, before becoming an unexpected starter in the Champions League final against Arsenal. His composure in possession, range of passing and tactical intelligence helped PSG control the midfield battle and limit the Gunners’ threat.
For Spain, Ruiz featured throughout the World Cup campaign, starting the final victory over Argentina and delivering one of the tournament’s biggest moments by scoring the crucial opening goal in La Roja’s hard-fought quarterfinal win over Belgium.
A long shot? Perhaps. But Ruiz’s trophy haul and influence on two historic title runs make him impossible to ignore.
9. Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway)
Norway was, as we predicted (sorry to blow our own trumpet), the surprise—or perhaps not so surprising—package of the 2026 World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals in its first appearance at the tournament since 1998.
While the Vikings were far from a one-man team, there is no denying Erling Haaland was the driving force behind their historic run. The Norwegian superstar turned the world’s biggest stage into his own personal showcase, overpowering some of the best defenders on the planet and scoring seven goals, including both strikes in Norway’s famous 2–1 victory over Brazil in the round of 16.
His club form was just as relentless in 2025–26.
Despite Manchester City falling short in the Premier League, Haaland remained one of the most prolific forwards in the game, scoring 38 goals across all competitions and claiming his third Golden Boot in four years.
8. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)
The idea of Jude Bellingham being a serious Ballon d’Or contender before the 2026 World Cup would have seemed unlikely, with the English midfielder enduring an injury-hit, trophyless season at Real Madrid.
Then came the summer in North America, where he reminded everyone why he is considered one of the finest No. 10s in world soccer.
Bellingham was the driving force behind England’s run to the semifinals, producing seven goals, including a sensational late winner against France in the third-place playoff. Beyond the numbers, he delivered relentless surges through midfield, incisive passing and the kind of raw determination that made it seem like he was willing England over the line almost single-handedly.
With England falling short of the trophy and his club season disrupted by injuries, a Ballon d’Or victory is unlikely. But Bellingham can still look back on a remarkable tournament—and one that offered a glimpse of what could come next for both club and country.
7. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich/France)
Michael Olise finished as the 2026 World Cup’s leading assist provider with seven, with his trademark curling deliveries and perfectly weighted passes proving almost impossible for opponents to contain.
He may have been frustrated not to find the net more often in North America, but he had already done plenty of damage at club level. During the 2025–26 season with Bayern Munich, Olise scored 22 goals as the Bavarians swept to the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles.
And that was only half the story. He also produced an astonishing 31 assists—more than any player in world soccer across the campaign—and was named Bundesliga Player of the Season.
The absence of a Champions League or World Cup title may work against him in the Ballon d’Or race, but Olise’s magical left foot makes him a contender who should not be overlooked.
6. Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain/France)
Ousmane Dembélé won the 2025 Ballon d’Or after a sensational campaign with Paris Saint-Germain, where he emerged as the driving force behind the club’s first-ever Champions League triumph, scoring 35 goals across all competitions.
In 2025–26, as PSG successfully defended both its Ligue 1 and Champions League titles, Dembélé once again delivered on the biggest stages. He scored 20 goals, including crucial strikes in the Champions League knockout rounds—two against Liverpool in the quarterfinals, a brace against Bayern Munich in the semifinals and PSG’s only goal in the final against Arsenal.
Those performances further strengthened his reputation as PSG’s ultimate big-game player.
He also contributed six goals for France at the World Cup, an impressive return considering he spent much of the tournament operating out wide rather than in his preferred central role.
5. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid/France)
Kylian Mbappé made history at the 2026 World Cup, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals—a tally that made him the competition’s all-time leading marksman with 22 goals in just 22 appearances.
Add in his 42 goals for Real Madrid during the 2025–26 season, and it becomes clear why he remains one of the most feared forwards in world soccer. With his explosive pace, mesmerizing dribbling and ruthless finishing, Mbappé continued to produce spectacular performances for both club and country.
The only thing missing from his case? Silverware.
With Madrid ending the season without a trophy and France finishing fourth at the World Cup, Mbappé’s lack of major titles may once again count against him in the Ballon d’Or race and he could find himself overlooked despite delivering a season worthy of the world’s highest individual honor.
4. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England)
No player in world soccer scored more club goals during the 2025–26 season than Harry Kane, who produced a staggering 61 for Bayern Munich as the Bavarians once again dominated German soccer, cruising to Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal success.
Had England gone on to win the World Cup—as many expected before the tournament—Kane would have been one of the strongest Ballon d’Or favorites, if not the outright winner.
For a while, that dream looked realistic, with the striker scoring six goals on the way to England’s semifinal meeting with Argentina.
But against their old rivals, Kane was unable to make the same impact, as England’s World Cup hopes came to an end. It was perhaps harsh given his incredible tournament and club season, but that quiet night ultimately damaged his chances of claiming soccer’s biggest individual prize.
3. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami/Argentina)
Argentina ultimately fell short in its attempt to retain the World Cup title, but Lionel Messi can hardly shoulder the blame. Aside from a small argument that he faded in the final, the veteran superstar once again showed why he remains one of the greatest players on the planet.
Messi delivered another remarkable tournament, scoring eight goals and providing four assists, including the crucial cross that set up Argentina’s late winner against England in the semifinals.
His club form was just as impressive. In 2025, Messi continued to turn back the clock, scoring 43 goals as Inter Miami lifted their first-ever MLS Cup.
2. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona/Spain)
Lamine Yamal’s World Cup numbers may look underwhelming at first glance, with just one goal and one assist during Spain’s title-winning campaign. But statistics only tell part of the story. Watching him, it was clear the teenager was fearless against the best defenders in the world, repeatedly producing dazzling dribbles, perfectly weighted passes and even making a significant impact defensively.
Those qualities were on display throughout the season with FC Barcelona as well, where Yamal helped the club secure back-to-back La Liga titles. This time, the numbers backed up the performances too, with the winger producing a remarkable 24 goals and 18 assists across all competitions while continuing to establish himself as the biggest attacking threat at the Camp Nou since Lionel Messi.
Messi was 22 years old when he won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009. Yamal, still only 19, has already put himself in a position to follow—and perhaps even surpass—the legacy of his idol.
1. Rodri (Manchester City/Spain)
Could history really be about to repeat itself?
In 2024, Rodri—regardless of what Vinícius Júnior and his Real Madrid teammates may have believed—rightly claimed the Ballon d’Or after playing a starring role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.
Then came a devastating injury that disrupted his momentum and left him searching for his best form. But at the 2026 World Cup, Rodri reminded the world why he was considered the finest player on the planet not too long ago.
Just as he did two years earlier, Rodri was the heartbeat of Spain’s success. He controlled the rhythm of matches, knew exactly when to speed up attacks, and provided a vital shield in front of the defense. His tactical intelligence and defensive contributions were a major reason La Roja conceded just one goal throughout the tournament—the fewest ever by a World Cup-winning team. His performances were so dominant that he was also awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
This time, if Rodri lifts the Ballon d’Or again, even his biggest critics would struggle to argue against it.
