Ballon d’Or 2026: How the race is shaping up after Spain's World Cup triumph over Argentina, with Rodri, Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal in contention
Published 20/07/2026 at 15:01 GMT+1
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Football's biggest names stood up to be counted during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The likes of Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Erling Haaland all played a leading role for their respective nations, with Rodri winning the Golden Ball and Kylian Mbappe securing the Golden Boot.
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Spain may have lifted the iconic trophy in New Jersey after a hard-fought 1-0 win against a defiant Argentina side, but spare a thought for Lionel Messi.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner rolled back the years in Canada, USA and Mexico this summer, producing eight goals and four assists to almost single-handedly carry his side to within touching distance of winning back-to-back World Cups.
It was not to be, but his performances have blown the race for football’s most coveted individual honour wide open.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or will be awarded on October 26 in London, and it looks set to be one of the most unpredictable races to win the prize in several years.
With that in mind, here is how the race to win it is shaping up following the climax of the World Cup.
Lionel Messi
Messi is already widely regarded as the greatest of all time, and a ninth Ballon d’Or would be the cherry on the cake of his illustrious career.
He may not have inspired Argentina to victory in the final, but his performances at the tournament proved that age is just a number and that he still has the quality to go toe-to-toe with the best that the new generation has to offer.
The 39-year-old found the back of the net in all three group games, scoring a hat-trick against Algeria, a brace against Austria and a single goal after coming off the bench against Jordan.
Messi followed that up with a fantastic finish against Cabo Verde, a goal and an assist against Egypt, and an assist in the quarter-final against Switzerland.
He also broke English hearts in the semi-finals, setting up both of Argentina’s goals to dump The Three Lions out of the tournament.
However, his bid to win the award likely rested on his World Cup performances, particularly considering he plays outside of Europe’s traditional top-five leagues.
For that reason, defeat in the World Cup final may cost the eight-time winner in the Ballon d’Or voting.
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal has cemented his place as the shining light in a new era for the sport after winning Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup while still a teenager.
Yamal has also maintained his incredible form at club level over the last 12 months, producing 16 goals and 12 assists in the league to help Barcelona win La Liga.
He had been accused of failing to replicate that form at this summer’s World Cup after coming into the tournament with an injury.
His goalscoring record in North America may count against him when the Ballon d’Or voting starts, but he is well and truly in the running to win the award after stepping up in Spain’s semi-final against France and their triumph over Argentina in the final.
Rodri
Manchester City midfielder Rodri is back to his best after recovering from a serious ACL injury that threatened to derail his career.
The Spaniard had previously struggled to replicate the form that saw him win the 2024 Ballon d’Or following his return, but nobody doubts that he can still do it at the highest level now.
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'He controls everything' - Cucurella heaps praise on Golden Ball winner Rodri
Video credit: SNTV
He won the Golden Ball despite stiff competition from the likes of Messi and Kylian Mbappe, catapulting his name into the race to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
It is no surprise, considering the way that he controlled the tempo of games and helped Spain dominate possession.
However, his underwhelming season with City could see him miss out, with his side settling for second in the Premier League and a disappointing exit from the UEFA Champions League, even if they did win the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane’s performances for club and country over the last 12 months have been nothing short of remarkable.
He was already one of the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or after inspiring Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title and the semi-finals of the Champions League.
The England captain took another big step toward the honour on the international stage, producing six goals and one assist to help England record their best World Cup finish since their only triumph in 1966.
It has been a fantastic year for Kane, but the Bundesliga may not be enough silverware to see him win the individual honour.
Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe came into the tournament under a fair amount of pressure despite producing 42 goals and seven assists for Real Madrid during the 2025/26 campaign.
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Los Blancos had failed to win any major silverware during the 2025/26 season, and Xabi Alonso left the club prematurely after failing to replicate the performances that saw him end Bayern Munich’s dominance in the Bundesliga.
Mbappe’s quality was never in doubt, though, and he showed why in North America.
The forward won the Golden Boot after producing 10 goals and four assists as France finished fourth.
That was an underwhelming result for a team of France’s quality, but Mbappe's record in front of goal saw him go past Messi as the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 22 strikes - a feat that puts him right in contention for the golden gong.
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