It’s that time of the year again — the curtain has opened on the new season, and with the Ballon d’Or around the corner, everyone is debating who deserves the title of the world’s best player. Footballing journalists will work together to uncover the answer.
First, journalists from France Football and L’Equipe will work in tandem to procure a combined list of the official top 30 nominees. Thereafter, one journalist from each of FIFA’s top 100 footballing nations gets to vote for their top 10, according
t0 the 30 nominees. Players are assigned points based on the position each journalist placed them, points are tallied, and whoever scores the highest earns football’s most prestigious individual award.
The voting process receives regular criticism from fans, players, and the media. After all, what makes a couple hundred journalists qualified to award such a significant title?
Well, the most qualified person to award the Ballon d’Or is probably someone who knows what it takes to win it. So, who does the world’s best player—according to some French blokes and one hundred journalists—think should win?
“Without order, Kvara, Harry Kane — he had a very good season,” said Ousmane Dembélé in an interview with L’Equipe (via @iMiaSanMia). “And I think Kylian Mbappé. I don’t like to mention myself. Michael Olise could also be there. He had an incredible season and was named best player in the Bundesliga”
Omitting Harry Kane’s name would be pure delusion, but what is even more surprising is the 29-year-old’s exclusion of fellow countryman, Michael Olise. Although Olise gets an honourable mention, Dembélé still ranks Kane above Olise, despite the former Crystal Palace man claiming the 2025/26 Bundesliga and Bayern Munich player of the season.
All things considered, the PSG player’s top three is fairly well-rounded considering his choices span three different clubs and nations.
But what do you think of Dembélé’s top three? Let us know in the comments below.
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