The 2026 Ballon d’Or award gala is right around the corner, set to crown the top player from the past season. This award is a career-changer, forever tagging someone as the planet’s most decorated star for an entire season. This 70th edition is probably gonna see a new victor, with last year’s champ Ousmane Dembele stepping aside. Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal are the rumored favorites, but The Sporting News crew has some strong opinions on who *really* deserves it.
Kane’s Absolute Domination Can’t Be Ignored
Look, if Harry Kane had just led England to a World Cup final, or even lifted the trophy, there would be zero debate this year. Lamine Yamal’s World Cup triumph is definitely a factor against him, but Kane’s numbers are just truly ridiculous, you can’t gloss over them. We’re talking 73 goals for club and country in a single season! That’s the kind of crazy output we’ve seen from guys like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and look at the trophy cases they’ve built. Senior Editor Dan Gibbs is convinced: the Ballon d’Or is coming home.
Samir Mello, another editor, thinks Kane deserves it not just for those insane numbers and his perfect finishing, but because of literally everything else he brings to the game. He’s not just a natural goalscorer; he’s an outstanding captain for England, a killer number 10 who can create chances, dictate play, and genuinely make his teammates better. Kane is way more than just a striker who nets goals, he’s a complete footballer, a true leader, and a guy who consistently makes the difference when it counts most. Senior Content Producer Kyle Bonn even said, apologies to Robert Lewandowski, but the best goal scorer usually wins this thing. In a season without a perfect candidate, Kane is more than worthy because of those goals and a trophy in hand. He’s the only right choice.
Mbappe’s Brilliance, Yamal’s Future
There’s always this chatter about the Ballon d’Or, right? Is it for the world’s best player right now, or for the dude who just had the best season? Well, Kylian Mbappe is both. Seriously. Even though he didn’t snag any trophies, if anything, that makes his case even stronger. Think about it like Bruno Fernandes absolutely sweeping Premier League awards despite playing for a messed-up team. Mbappe was lighting it up for a straight-up mess of a Real Madrid side.
Then there’s Lamine Yamal. He’s a brilliant youngster, no doubt, with the potential to build one of the greatest careers ever. Ballon d’Or awards are definitely in his future, but he’s just not quite there yet. He wasn’t integral enough to Spain’s World Cup title for that to benefit him for this particular award, so the consensus seems to be he’s got to wait his turn.
The stage is set for an epic reveal. With the gala just around the corner, the biggest individual prize in football is about to be handed out. Who’s gonna walk away with it? We’ll know soon enough.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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