Staff Writer Jamal Malik-Lyf comments on the upcoming Ballon d’Or award announcement.
The Ballon d’Or is one of the most iconic awards in the footballing world. With the 70th edition set to take place on Monday, October 26, 2026, and countless worthy candidates hungry for the accolade, there’s only one question on everyone’s mind. Who will take home the prestigious trophy?
Below, I’ve analysed the worthiest candidates for the men’s Ballon d’Or to see who really deserves to win in a few days’ time. The prize has notoriously been controversial over the last few years, so will they get it right this time?
Men’s Ballon d’Or 2026: The Top 5 Candidates:
5. Lionel Messi
Coming in at number five in our power rankings is the timeless Lionel Messi. The footballing legend has dominated the sport for two decades; in that time, he’s won a record-breaking 8 Ballon d’Ors, and his outstanding performances in the 25/26 season have put him on course for another strong finish.
At 39 years old, the Argentinian led Inter Miami to win both the MLS and Campeones Cup. More impressively, however, were his performances at the recent World Cup, which saw him rack up 12 goals and assists before being defeated in the final to Spain.
Whilst his domestic record alone isn’t enough to secure the victory, we predict a decent result for the forward due to the journalists’ well-known love for the Argentinian and his impressive campaign for his country.
4. Rodri
Taking the fourth spot is recent Barcelona signing Rodri. Despite a fairly unimpressive season in the Premier League, which saw him hampered by an injury, the midfielder was able to win the FA and Carabao Cups under Pep Guardiola, which will certainly work in his favour.
However, similar to Lionel Messi, his impressive output at the North American World Cup will have boosted his chances even more. As captain of the Spanish national team, the 30-year-old led his side through a dominant campaign that saw them concede only one goal before ultimately lifting the trophy for the second time in their history.
With his undeniably impressive display, the Spaniard went on to win the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament, and has since made himself at home in Flick’s Barcelona side by helping them win 9 out of 9 games so far in La Liga.
Whilst arguably too high in the rankings, the weight of the World Cup will, perhaps unfairly, be vital in deciding who wins the award.
Could Rodri win it for a second time? It’s unlikely, but he will still be regarded as one of the best footballers in the modern era.
3. Kylian Mbappé
In third place is Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé. He’s been at the top of his game for years, and yet has still never been able to win a Ballon d’Or.
Whilst he has zero trophies to show for the 2025/26 season, the 27-year-old put up some incredible numbers despite all the drama that surrounded him, recording 42 goals in 44 games.
On top of that, despite coming fourth, the Frenchman dominated the World Cup by scoring 10 goals, which saw him win the Golden Boot and break the record as the tournament’s all-time record goalscorer.
And his accolades don’t stop there, as he’s already found himself in unstoppable form under new manager Mourinho, racking up 12 goals in 12 games already.
Whilst not the heavy favourite this year, he certainly has a good shot at winning the honour in the near future.
2. Lamine Yamal
Narrowly missing out on the top spot, we predict Lamine Yamal to finish in a strong second place.
At just 19 years old, the Spaniard is currently one of the best players in the world and will undeniably have an outstanding career.
He recently became the first player under 20 to appear in both a Euros and World Cup final, and despite his modest output, he won both.
In addition to his impressive campaigns for his country, he has thrived under Flick, picking up 24 goals, 18 assists and the La Liga trophy in the 2025/26 season. If that wasn’t enough, the teenager is in incredible form so far with Barcelona, already picking up 20 goal contributions in just 12 games.
After finishing second last year, could this be his season to do it? He certainly has all the right qualities, but for me, there’s only one man who deserves to win the Ballon d’Or this year.
1. Harry Kane
Ranking number one on our list, our winner for the 2026 Ballon d’Or is none other than England captain Harry Kane.
The 33-year-old has had an incredible season with Bayern Munich, recording 61 goals in only 51 games across all competitions, and was a key figure as they won the Bundesliga title and the German Cup.
Along with these impressive statistics for his club, Kane was crucial in England’s World Cup campaign this summer, as he secured 6 goals for his team and led them to their best finish since 1966. Since then, he’s started the season on fire by pulling in 17 goal contributions in just 11 games.
Without a doubt, he is the most deserving winner of the Ballon d’Or this year, as he’s proven himself time and time again as one of the best in the world – not just as a striker, but as a footballer in general. One look at his game shows how he can play nearly any position on the pitch flawlessly, which is why, in my opinion, he is the only one who deserves the honour this year.
With the ceremony being held in London for the first time in its history, to commemorate the inaugural Ballon d’Or awarded to England’s Sir Stanley Matthews, is it written in the stars? Could Kane be the fifth Englishman ever to win the prestigious trophy?
So, there you have it – the Roar News power rankings for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. We will find out who actually wins the award next Monday, but without a doubt, we will be backing Harry Kane all the way!
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