Ballon d'Or 2026: Kane or Yamal? Final showdown in London
With the Ballon d'Or announced in London, Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal lead the betting, but experts debate whether stats or style should decide the winner.
The Ballon d'Or winner will be unveiled in London on 26 October, with Spain winger Lamine Yamal and England captain Harry Kane neck-and-neck in the betting [1]. Yamal won La Liga with Barcelona and lifted the World Cup with Spain, while Kane scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England. Other contenders include Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Paris St-Germain’s back-to-back European champions.
European football expert Guillem Balague argues the award should go to Yamal, citing his individual brilliance, collective trophies, and aura [1]. Julien Laurens praises Yamal’s Champions League performances but says he underperformed at the World Cup and didn’t shine for Barcelona, despite their early exit. He believes Khvicha Kvaratskhelia should win instead, calling him the most exciting player in European football.
Former England striker Alan Shearer, ex-midfielder Danny Murphy, and former forward Andros Townsend all back Harry Kane, citing his 73 goals in 65 games, Bundesliga title, Champions League impact, and World Cup heroics [1]. BBC Radio 5 Live’s Rory Smith notes Kane’s quiet leadership may hurt him in a popularity-driven award, but his stats are unmatched.
Stephen Warnock and Norwegian journalist Lars Sivertsen also support Kane, with Warnock calling him ‘unbelievable’ and Sivertsen noting his role model status [1]. However, the claim that Kvaratskhelia should win is reported by only one source, and has not been confirmed by others.
What happens next? The winner will be announced in London, with Yamal’s World Cup triumph and Kane’s goalscoring record likely to be decisive factors.
Sources
This article is based on reporting by the outlets below.
- BBC News: Who should win the men's Ballon d'Or? BBC Sport pundits have their say
