Ballon d’Or race heats up: Kane, Rodri and Yamal in three-way fight

The race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or has intensified following a World Cup that reshaped the claims of several leading contenders.

With the prestigious individual award set to be presented in London on October 26, England captain Harry Kane, Spain midfielder Rodri and Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal are among the players attracting major attention. All three have been included in the 30-player shortlist.

Rodri strengthened his case by playing a key role in Spain’s World Cup triumph. The Manchester City midfielder was named the tournament’s best player after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final. He received the Golden Ball after featuring in all eight matches.

Yamal, meanwhile, enjoyed an outstanding campaign with Barcelona and Spain. He helped Barcelona retain the LaLiga title and was named the league’s best player for the 2025-26 season. He also played a significant role in Spain’s World Cup-winning campaign.

Kane’s case is built heavily on his remarkable goalscoring numbers. The Bayern Munich striker scored 73 goals in 65 matches during the 2025-26 season, while winning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and the European Golden Shoe. At the World Cup, he scored six goals as England finished third.

Kylian Mbappe is also firmly in contention. The Real Madrid forward finished the World Cup as its top scorer with 10 goals and also produced prolific numbers for his club. He remains one of the leading names in the 30-player shortlist.

Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Achraf Hakimi are among the other notable nominees.