The race for the Ballon d'Or is entering its final stretch, with just three weeks until the world's best player is crowned in London on 25 October.
Spain's triumph over Argentina in the World Cup final is expected to boost the prospects of 2024 winner Rodri and Lamine Yamal, who have both played their part in Barcelona's 100 percent start to the new campaign.
Harry Kane remains the football purist's favourite for the award following his goalscoring campaign with Bayern Munich and a series of important interventions at the World Cup with England.
In The Independent's Ballon d'Or 2026 power rankings, Barcelona's Pau Cubarsi is a new entry at number 10. The 19-year-old, who was named Young Player of the Tournament after Spain's World Cup win, has helped Barcelona win seven from seven and concede only five goals this season.
Michael Olise sits at number nine after establishing himself as one of the world's best attackers with Bayern Munich and France. Erling Haaland is eighth, having scored seven goals in six appearances this season, though the timing of the voting closure after Manchester City's guilty verdict is noted as a factor.
Jude Bellingham is seventh after being named Thomas Tuchel's player of the tournament at the World Cup and contributing six goal involvements in seven league games this season. Ousmane Dembele completes the top six, with the suggestion that France's semi-final exit may have affected his chances of a second successive award.