It's crunch time! The World Cup dust has settled, and the 2026 Ballon d'Or battle is heating up. Harry Kane, England and Bayern Munich's top gun, is firmly in the driving seat after a scintillating season that saw him net six times at the World Cup and storm into the record books as England's all-time leading scorer.
But don't count on the Spanish duo of Lamine Yamal and Rodri giving up without a fight. These two midfield maestros were instrumental in Spain's World Cup triumph, with Rodri adding the Golden Ball award to his trophy cabinet – not bad for someone who claimed the Ballon d'Or just two years ago!
The old master, Lionel Messi, is still in the mix at 39 and showing no signs of slowing down. He guided Argentina to their second successive World Cup final, while reigning Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele is looking to make it a hat-trick with Paris Saint-Germain.
But what about the dark horses? Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Declan Rice are all in the running, alongside French champions France's other top talents. Meanwhile, at the bookies' odds – Betfair has them as follows: Harry Kane at 13/8, Lamine Yamal at 9/4, and Lionel Messi at 11/4.
The big question is who'll be crowned king of the world on 26 October in London? The gala ceremony can't come soon enough – it's going to be a thrilling showdown between established stars and emerging talents who've stolen the show over the past year.