The destination of the Ballon d'Or is typically tough to predict. Just ask Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior, who in 2024 spent weeks believing he would win the men's award, only to learn hours before the ceremony that it had gone to Manchester City midfielder Rodri instead.
This year is no less open. On the men's side, Lamine Yamal dazzled for Barcelona, Harry Kane scored more goals for Bayern Munich than ever before, Kylian Mbappé starred for Real Madrid, and the 2026 World Cup saw Lionel Messi and Rodri compete to be named the tournament's best player, with Rodri winning. For the Ballon d'Or Féminin, Alexia Putellas is the favorite after captaining Barcelona to another quadruple, though she was far from the only world-class player on that team.
The winners will be revealed on Oct. 26 at a ceremony in London. The men's Ballon d'Or is decided by 100 journalists, while the women's vote is cast by 50 journalists from 50 countries. ESPN replicated that process with 20 journalists stationed around the world, one per country, each submitting a top-five ballot for the Ballon d'Or and a top-three for other awards, using official shortlists and the standard 15-12-10-8-6 point system.
Voters offered strong cases. Josué Utrilla of ESPN Guatemala praised Yamal's talent at just 19 and his role in Spain's attack. Tom Hamilton of ESPN UK argued that Kane's 73 goals in 65 matches across club and country is a freakish record that rewards individual brilliance. Anirudh Menon of ESPN India made the case for Messi, saying the 2026 World Cup showed the gulf between him and his rivals remains vast.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing