The spotlight will fall on England captain Harry Kane as football’s biggest individual honour prepares for a historic night in London on Monday.
Kane enters the contest as the leading contender, but Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe remain firmly in race for the prestigious title of the world’s best footballer.
Organised by France Football magazine, the 70th edition of the Ballon d’Or will take place in England for the first time. The decision to bring the ceremony to the country pays tribute to Stanley Matthews, the inaugural recipient of the award, while raising the possibility of an Englishman claiming the honour for the first time in 25 years.
Kane has built a compelling case through an extraordinary campaign
with Bayern Munich and England. The striker scored 73 goals in 65 appearances across club and international football last season, helping Bayern secure a domestic league and cup double before guiding England to the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
The prospect of lifting the Ballon d’Or would represent a defining achievement for the 33-year-old.
“I’d love to be able to achieve something like that. I would be a massive milestone in my career,” said the 33-year-old.
Despite his remarkable scoring record, Kane’s hopes of victory could be complicated by Bayern’s Champions League semi-final exit and England’s departure at the same stage of the World Cup. With no clear consensus surrounding the winner, uncertainty continues to surround the final verdict.
Kane admitted that the secrecy surrounding the result has made the wait difficult for those closest to him.
“I think my wife would prefer to know and my family … it’s very stressful for everyone,” he added. “I can see why they don’t tell people. They want everyone to go, all the big names, and there will be more people watching it if they don’t know.”
Yamal & Mbappe Challenge Kane
Yamal remains one of the most intriguing names in the race. The Barcelona forward placed second behind Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele last year, and his extraordinary rise at just 19 has fuelled expectations that he will eventually claim the sport’s most coveted individual prize.
However, his latest campaign did not unfold as smoothly as anticipated. A hamstring injury brought his club season to an early conclusion, while Spain’s World Cup success was driven by the strength of the team as a whole rather than an individual standout performance from the young winger.
Yamal also missed out on the tournament’s player and young player awards, which went to his Barcelona team-mates Rodri and Pau Cubarsi, respectively.
Nevertheless, the teenager has shown little hesitation in backing his own credentials ahead of the ceremony. Speaking last month, he made his assessment of the competition clear.
“For me, Mbappe and me, we’re the two best players in the world,” Yamal said last month. “I honestly think that, as the best in the world, maybe there are two of us, and this year I would deserve it because of what I’ve won.”
Mbappe presents a different case, having accumulated individual honours and scoring records despite missing out on major silverware with both Real Madrid and France.
The 27-year-old finished as the leading scorer in La Liga, the Champions League and the World Cup, although he failed to win any of the three competitions. His 10 goals at the World Cup also took his career total in the tournament to 22, making him its all-time leading scorer.
Reflecting on the achievement, Mbappe highlighted the significance of surpassing the legends who came before him.
“Being the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, overtaking all the great legends in the history of the sport in the most important tournament there is, is something that really stands out,” said Mbappe.
When asked who would receive his vote, the French forward offered an unmistakably confident answer.
“Who am I voting for? Myself.”
How the Ballon d’Or Winner Is Selected
The winner is determined through an international voting process involving one football journalist from each of the 100 highest-ranked nations in FIFA’s rankings. Each voter selects their top 10 players from a shortlist of 30 nominees, awarding points on a descending scale from a maximum of 15 to a minimum of one according to their preferences.
The player with the highest overall points total is crowned the Ballon d’Or winner.
Although the award does not come with direct prize money, winning it can have significant financial consequences. Players may benefit from substantial performance-related bonuses included in club contracts and commercial agreements, while the recognition can also boost their global profile and earning potential.
Putellas Favourite for Women’s Award
The women’s Ballon d’Or race is also set for a change at the top, with Alexia Putellas emerging as the leading candidate to win the award for the third time. Aitana Bonmati’s three-year dominance is expected to end following a season disrupted by injuries.
Putellas, who claimed the honour in 2021 and 2022, played a key role in Barcelona’s return to the top of European football as the Spanish club reclaimed the Champions League last season. She has since left Barcelona to join London City Lionesses.
Her former Barcelona team-mate Ewa Pajor of Poland is considered the strongest challenger after scoring 11 goals in Barcelona’s latest Champions League-winning campaign.
With Inputs From AFP
