A ceremony held in the months after a major tournament always adds extra intrigue, and few tournaments are bigger than the World Cup. Jurors can factor international performance into their rankings for the men's prize. With Spain winning the 2026 World Cup, the six Spanish internationals on the shortlist could see their standing improve. Outstanding individual performances for club and country also keep players such as Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland in contention.
Kane scored 73 goals across club and international competitions in the 2025-26 season. Although jurors are told to consider only the most recent season, his 156 goals in 158 games for Bayern Munich since 2023 have lifted him to seventh on the German club's all-time top scorer list. He has led the Bundesliga's scoring charts for three consecutive seasons. He also guided England to their best World Cup finish since 1966, winning bronze and finishing as the tournament's fifth-highest scorer.
Lamine Yamal has twice won the Kopa Trophy for best player under 21, in 2024 and 2025, and placed second in the main rankings in 2025. The 19-year-old was central to Spain's World Cup success and to Barcelona's La Liga and Spanish Super Cup-winning season, despite missing several matches through injury. His 24 goals and 18 assists for Barcelona included eight in the Champions League.
Mbappe was captain of a France side that lost the third-place match to England, but he claimed the Golden Boot with 10 goals, becoming the tournament's all-time top scorer. He also scored 42 goals in 44 appearances for Real Madrid in 2025-26. Lionel Messi captained Argentina to second place at the World Cup, scoring eight goals, and his 29 goals for Inter Miami keep him in the conversation. Rodri, the 2024 winner, has been hampered by injury, but he was named the tournament's best player. Haaland scored seven World Cup goals for Norway and was the Premier League's top scorer in 2025-26 with 27 goals.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing