BALLON D’OR 2026: TOP FIVE CONTENDERS FOR THE COVETED AWARD
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By: Fasasi Hammad
The top five favourites to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or have been ranked.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele claimed the Golden Ball in 2025.
According to Sportskeeda, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who narrowly missed out on the 2023 Ballon d’Or, finishing second to Lionel Messi, is currently the fifth favourite for the award this year.
The Norway international has been exceptional for Pep Guardiola’s side this season, scoring 29 goals and providing seven assists in 39 appearances across all competitions.
In fourth place is Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise. The 24-year-old former Crystal Palace winger has contributed 13 goals and 25 assists in 36 appearances this season under Vincent Kompany. Olise has also become a regular starter for France and is expected to make an impact for Les Bleus at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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Third on the list is Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal, who narrowly missed becoming the youngest-ever Ballon d’Or winner after finishing second behind Dembele last year. This season, Yamal has scored 19 goals and provided 15 assists in 36 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona. He played a key role in helping the club win the Supercopa de España and is on track to claim the LaLiga title with Hansi Flick’s side.
In second place is Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe. The French forward has broken several individual records and already tallied 38 goals with six assists in 33 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos. At 27, Mbappe will aim to strengthen his Ballon d’Or chances by helping Real Madrid secure LaLiga and the Champions League, while also leading France at the 2026 World Cup.
The current frontrunner for the 2026 Ballon d’Or is Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane. The England captain is widely regarded as the most in-form striker in the world, having scored 45 goals and provided five assists in 37 appearances across all competitions this season. Kane also played a pivotal role in Bayern winning the German Super Cup and is on track to claim the Bundesliga title.
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