Harry Kane leads Ballon d’Or favorites ahead of Mbappé and Yamal
England striker Harry Kane is the bookmakers' odds-on favourite for the 70th Ballon d’Or, with Kylian Mbappé and 19-year-old Lamine Yamal also in contention.
The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony will be held on Monday evening at the London Palladium, where France Football will announce the winner of football’s most prestigious individual award. The shortlist, released on September 8, features 30 players from 12 countries and clubs, with the final vote already cast by an international jury of journalists representing FIFA’s top-ranked nations.
Harry Kane, who scored 73 goals in 65 matches for Bayern Munich and England during the 2025-26 season, is the bookmakers’ favourite and would become the first English winner since Michael Owen in 2001. Kane’s tally includes 36 Bundesliga goals, 14 Champions League goals and six at the World Cup, where England finished third.
Kylian Mbappé, the World Cup’s top scorer, and Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal, the youngest nominee, are also highlighted as strong contenders. Mbappé’s performances for Real Madrid and Yamal’s rapid rise have drawn praise, though Yamal did not feature in the World Cup.
Other notable nominees include five Premier League players—Declan Rice, William Saliba, Gabriel, Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes—alongside former Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami.
Journalists from The Times offered varied opinions: several argue that Kane’s goal-scoring record and impact for club and country make him the most deserving, while others note Mbappé’s World Cup exploits and Yamal’s potential. One commentator criticized the award’s emphasis on individual statistics in a team sport.
The ceremony will also present twelve additional awards, such as the Women’s Ballon d’Or and the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper, and will allow the public to nominate a “Ballon d’Or of All Time” as part of the 70th-year celebrations.