Ballon d'Or: Intense three-way battle with uncertainty surrounding the final decision moment
All eyes will be on London on Monday as the Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place, featuring an open competition among some of football's biggest stars, led by Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, Spaniard Lamine Yamal, and Englishman Harry Kane.
For the first time in its 70-year history, the prestigious award will be held in the United Kingdom, a move that recalls the roots of the game in its homeland.
The ceremony will reveal the successor to Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé; despite retaining the UEFA Champions League title, his individual performance has not matched the brilliance of last season, opening the door for fierce competition for his replacement.
Kane and Yamal Ignite the Competition
In terms of standout numbers, striker Kane leads the list after scoring 61 goals for Bayern Munich, who reached the semifinals of the European competition, bringing his total to 73 goals when including his contributions to the England national team, currently third in the 2026 World Cup.
The only player to surpass this figure in a single season is Argentine Lionel Messi, who netted 82 goals in the 2010-2011 season.
Kane, the 33-year-old star of the "Three Lions," is trying not to get caught up in the Ballon d'Or race, as he put it, despite the difficulty of ignoring it.
He said on Wednesday after the 2-2 draw with Arsenal: "I'm trying not to think about it, but it's hard," adding, "I'll try to enjoy Monday evening as much as possible."
The calm perspective of the "Three Lions" captain contrasts with the statements of his main competitors, Mbappé, 27, and Yamal, 19.
The young Barcelona winger confidently stated: "I genuinely believe I deserve the award this year, considering the titles I've won, La Liga and the World Cup."
In my opinion, Mbappé and I are the best players in the world, and that's clear; anyone who watches the matches knows that.
Meanwhile, Mbappé, who has not won any team titles, is relying on his individual statistics to boost his chances, having topped the La Liga scoring chart with 25 goals and the UEFA Champions League with 15 goals, while also becoming the all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals, including ten in the 2026 edition.
The French star said: "I was the top scorer in the biggest competitions, and I think this year could be good for me; I have a positive feeling about it."
Putellas Aiming for Third Ballon d'Or
The Ballon d'Or is awarded based on a vote by journalists, with one journalist representing each of the top 100 countries in the FIFA men's ranking and the top 50 countries in the women's ranking.
The selection criteria, in order of importance, include individual performance and the player's impact, followed by team results and titles won, and finally, sportsmanship.
The list of thirty nominees features prominent names, including Spanish World Cup-winning captain Rodri, compatriot Fabián Ruiz, Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Paris Saint-Germain, and Argentine Lionel Messi, who has won the award eight times, along with French international Michael Oliseh, who provided 31 assists and scored 22 goals for Bayern Munich last season.
Excitement also surrounds the women's award in the absence of Aitana Bonmatí.
It is now certain that Bonmatí will relinquish her throne, as injuries that sidelined her for an extended period hampered her performance during the 2025-2026 season.
Thus, Spanish player Alexia Putellas, who won in 2021 and 2022, aims to secure the Ballon d'Or for the third time in her career, a feat only achieved by her compatriot Aitana Bonmatí since the award's inception eight years ago, who won it in the last three years from 2023 to 2025.
Putellas, the former Barcelona star currently playing for London City Lionesses, faces strong competition from Polish player Ewa Pajor and Spanish player Claudia Pina, her former teammates at the Catalan club. Also in contention are Haitian midfielder Melchie Dumornay, who plays for Lyon in France, and Jamaican forward Khadija Shaw, a star at Manchester City.
The ceremony, taking place on Monday evening and hosted by several stars, including former French star Thierry Henry, will feature the presentation of various awards, including Best Coach, Best Young Player, Best Goalkeeper, and more.
A new award named "Ballon d'Or for the Best of All Time" will also be presented to a former star who has won the Ballon d'Or at least twice, based on an open electronic vote from the public.
More from this section
The "Dakar Rally 2027" will not be held in Saudi Arabia.
The reason for Ayyoub Bouaddi's absence from the match against Aston Villa.
"Flu" puts Courtois out of "El Clásico" calculations
"We outperformed them" .. Yasser Zbeiri shines in La Liga and aims to play for Barcelona
Officially, the "Lionesses" qualify for the Round of 16 in the "World Cup."
