With the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly now disappearing into the rearview mirror, the battle for the Ballon d’Or hasn’t felt so open for the best part of 20 years, with countless players beginning the campaign believing they have a chance of claiming the most prestigious individual prize football has to offer. Ousmane Dembele emerged from a career plagued with inconsistencies to win the Golden Ball in 2025, and he is among a crowded field of contenders as the 2026 race gets going.
Dembele largely secured the award off the back of his performances in helping Paris Saint-Germain win their first European Cup, and the Champions League is yet again likely to have a big say on the Ballon d’Or battle this time around. However, it’s also a World Cup year, so there is a chance that the eventual winner doesn’t emerge until the summer in North America.
Don’t forget, too, that there is the Africa Cup of Nations running from late December and into January, meaning there could be some players who don’t only shine for their clubs but also impress at two major tournaments over the course of the campaign.
The Ballon d’Or race is a marathon not a sprint, and it’s worth bearing in mind that Dembele didn’t emerge as a potential contender until midway through the 2024-25 campaign. However, with the European season now properly up and running, so too are GOAL’s Power Rankings as we track the likeliest winners of the Golden Ball over the coming weeks and months: