The race for the prestigious 2025-2026 Ballon d’Or remains wide open ahead of Monday evening’s ceremony in London. Prolific scorer Harry Kane, record-chaser Kylian Mbappé, and teenage dribbling sensation Lamine Yamal are among the declared or self-proclaimed favorites.
As every year, rumors are expected to spread rapidly throughout the day before one of football’s best-kept secrets is finally revealed late in the evening.
The ceremony begins at 20:00 Moroccan time in an elegant theater in the British capital. For the 70th edition of the prestigious individual award, organizer France Football has exceptionally taken its gala outside its usual setting.
The event will feature a red-carpet arrival, musical performances, and secondary awards, including those for best young player and best goalkeeper. Rankings will be gradually revealed before the winners are announced.
Among the Moroccan nominees, Achraf Hakimi is in contention for the top prize, while Yassine Bounou is nominated for the Yashin Trophy, awarded to the best goalkeeper. Ayyoub Bouaddi is among the nominees for the Kopa Trophy, which recognizes the best player under 21.
Kane’s prolific season
No clear favorite has emerged to succeed Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé and Spanish midfielder Aitana Bonmatí, who has won the women’s award in each of the past three editions.
The Barcelona star is certain to relinquish her crown after an injury-disrupted 2025-2026 season. As for Paris Saint-Germain’s leading forward, he retained his Champions League title but delivered less spectacular individual performances.
In terms of eye-catching statistics, English striker Harry Kane stands out with 61 goals for Bayern Munich, who reached the Champions League semifinals. His total rises to 73 if his goals for England, which finished third at the 2026 World Cup, are included. Only Lionel Messi has scored more in a single season, with 82 goals in 2010-2011.
The 33-year-old England captain faces competition from Kylian Mbappé, 27, and Lamine Yamal, 19. Both superstars made a strong public case for themselves before voting closed.
“There is no one better than me last season,” declared the Frenchman, who was the top scorer in the Spanish league with 25 goals, the Champions League with 15, and the all-time leading scorer at the World Cup with 22, including 10 at the 2026 edition.
However, the Real Madrid striker won no trophies with either his club or national team, unlike Barcelona’s teenage winger Lamine Yamal, who won La Liga and, above all, the World Cup.
Could Putellas win a third Ballon d’Or?
The Ballon d’Or is awarded following a vote by journalists, with one representative from each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA men’s rankings and the top 50 in the women’s rankings. The criteria, in descending order of importance, are individual performances and decisive contributions, team results and honors, and player conduct.
Among the 30 nominees are World Cup-winning captain Rodri, his compatriot Fabián Ruiz, Georgian PSG winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Argentina’s eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, and French international Michael Olise, who recorded 31 assists and 22 goals for Bayern during the previous season.
Having won the award in 2021 and 2022, Spain’s Alexia Putellas is seeking a third individual title. Since the women’s award was introduced eight years ago, only Bonmatí has achieved that feat, winning in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The former Barcelona star, now playing for London City Lionesses, faces competition from Poland’s Ewa Pajor and fellow Spaniard Claudia Pina, both former teammates in Catalonia. She also faces Lyon midfielder Melchie Dumornay of Haiti and Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw of Jamaica.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony can be watched from 20:00 on DAZN, which is offering free access to viewers who sign in, as well as on La Chaîne L’Équipe.
