Planet Football has unveiled its first ranking of contenders for the 2027 Ballon d'Or, based on the beginning of the 2026/27 season. Topping the list is Barcelona's Rafinha, who has made an explosive start, followed closely by Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal.
The Brazilian forward has hit the ground running, netting 11 goals and providing three assists, averaging a contribution every 39 minutes. His seamless adaptation to the central striker role has drawn particular acclaim.
Mbappe finds himself in second place, with the Real Madrid frontman continuing to find the back of the net regularly. His prospects for clinching individual accolades hinge not only on his personal performances but also on potential successes for Jose Mourinho's side in La Liga and the Champions League.
Completing the top three is Yamal. The 19-year-old Barcelona talent has already recorded an impressive 12 goal involvements — eight goals and four assists — in just seven matches this season.
In fourth place is Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, while Manchester City's Erling Haaland rounds out the top five. The Norwegian is currently leading the Premier League scoring charts and has contributed twice in the Champions League, playing a crucial role in City's derby win over Manchester United.
Arsenal's Martin Odegaard, the club captain, sits in seventh position, having made a remarkable start. He's already scored four times, significantly exceeding his tally from the previous season.
The early top ten contenders for the 2027 Ballon d'Or, according to Planet Football, look as follows:
- Rafinha — Barcelona
- Kylian Mbappe — Real Madrid
- Lamine Yamal — Barcelona
- Harry Kane — Bayern Munich
- Erling Haaland — Manchester City
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — PSG
- Martin Odegaard — Arsenal
- Jude Bellingham — Real Madrid
- Igor Matanovic — Freiburg
- Donyell Malen — Roma.
It's worth noting that this ranking is preliminary; the 2026/27 season has only just begun, and these results will play a pivotal role in determining the 2027 Ballon d'Or winner.
