Current Ballon d'Or holder Usman Dembele has put forth three players whom he believes are in contention for the 2026 award. The French winger singled out Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane, and Kylian Mbappe.
When asked about his candidates, Dembele remarked:
Kvara — Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane, who had an extremely good season, and, I think, Kylian Mbappe.
Kane finds himself among the main contenders after a stellar season, having scored an impressive 73 goals across all competitions. The striker helped Bayern Munich clinch the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, while also netting six times at the World Cup.
Mbappe has previously stated that this year could be a prime opportunity for him to claim victory in the voting. Meanwhile, Kane has referred to last season as the best of his career and expressed pride in his achievements.
Notably, Dembele did not mention Lamin Jamal. The Barcelona player enjoyed a remarkable last season, scoring 26 goals and winning La Liga as well as the World Cup.
The Ballon d'Or ceremony is set to take place on October 26, 2026. Journalists from the top 100 countries in FIFA's men's rankings will participate in the voting.
