2026 Ballon d’Or: Who Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Other Stars Are Backing to Win

There’s no such thing as an incorrect opinion, but Felix Magath came pretty close with his pick for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

The former Bundesliga winner as a player and manager, a midfielder who finished fifth in 1983 Ballon d’Or vote after scoring the only goal of that year’s European Cup final, surveyed 2026’s staggering breadth of talent and came to the conclusion that Marc Cucurella should be the victor.

For all his qualities, the World Cup-winning left back (who also finished 10th in the Premier League with Chelsea) has not been tipped among the top contenders. A panel of 100 journalists will be the ones to decide the winner, with the likes of Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé or perhaps even Lionel Messi billed slightly above Cucurella.

In this most open of years, world soccer’s glittering stars have failed to agree upon a standout favorite for the coveted prize.

Lamine Yamal

This year’s top contenders have made little secret about their desire to win the Ballon d’Or. Yamal seemed to have appeared on every available broadcaster to make it abundantly clear quite why he was deserving of the award.

Like any good political campaign, Yamal also made sure to denigrate the achievements of his rivals while promoting his own case. The La Liga and World Cup winner pointed out that he has more than silverware on his side in a shootout against the prolific scorers of Kane and Mbappé.

“The Ballon d’Or is the award for the best player of the year—the player who stands apart, the one you enjoy watching, the one with that touch of magic who makes you smile and makes you want to watch a match just for them,” the teenager argued.

“It has nothing to do with the number of goals scored or anything else like that. When I think of the Ballon d’Or, I think of Messi, Ronaldinho—players who are different, who make you dream.”

Kylian Mbappé

“I always think I’m the best,” Mbappé unashamedly shrugged, “but everyone has their own opinion.”

“I think when you play for Real Madrid, the best club in the world, people associate you with this award. There are many people that speak about me and the Ballon d’Or. Of course I’ve made history in the most important competition. Maybe it’s a good year for this but people can vote according to what they think.”

Declan Rice

Declan Rice is one of three Arsenal nominees for this year’s individual prize but he turned to his international captain, Kane, with his pick for the award.

“Beyond all of the football stuff, as a person as well, just how he is as a leader, as an actual person, such a good guy,” Rice gushed after watching the Bayern Munich No. 9 deliver a Champions League masterclass. “I can’t speak highly enough of him. So, I hope on Monday he has that gold trophy in his hands.”

Ousmane Dembélé

In a rare act of humility from one of the players actually nominated for the award himself, Ousmane Dembélé shifted the focus onto his Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

“I hope a Parisian will win it. Especially Kvara, who had a very great season. We hope it will be him. For me, he is the best player in the world. His season last year was incredible. No need to talk, we will leave the votes.”

Rodri

Rodri wasn’t overly fussed about winning the award in 2024 and isn’t holding out much hope for his second prize. Instead, he is keen on seeing a fellow World Cup winner add the golden ball to his collection.

“What I would really like is for a Spaniard to win it,” Rodri said. “There are six of us [nominated]: [Marc] Cucurella, [Pau] Cubarsí, Rodri, [Fabián] Ruiz, Lamine [Yamal], and Ferran [Torres]. I can tell you that, individually, every one of them absolutely deserves the Ballon d’Or. I think all my teammates have solid arguments.”

“Fabián Ruiz is the one who has won the most titles,” he added. “Cubarsí, for what he has achieved at just 19 years old. Ferran scored the decisive goal [in the World Cup final]. As for me, I was named Player of the Tournament. And Lamine is incredible.”

Raphinha

Raphinha, who somehow escaped even a nomination of his own, was fully in Yamal’s corner. In the eyes of his clubmate, Yamal deserves the prize for his “individual numbers, collective titles, and the magic on the pitch, charisma. There’s no doubt.

“For me, he has to take the prize, no matter what. Even if I wasn’t Lamine’s teammate, for what he does, the numbers, the titles – and I think titles are important – he’s the candidate. One of one. Of three trophies, he won two with Barcelona. He won the World Cup with Spain.”

Neymar

Neymar infamously left Barcelona, where he won the admiration of a certain even younger Lamine Yamal, for PSG in search of the sort of individual recognition like the Ballon d’Or.

The Brazilian never managed to surpass Messi but is backing Barcelona’s new No. 10. “Lamine Yamal is the best in the world,” Neymar posted on social media earlier this season.

Jose Mourinho

“For me, the Ballon d’Or has to go to those players who, when they retire, we’ll miss forever,” Real Madrid manager José Mourinho told assembled media before Real Madrid’s clash with Málaga earlier this season. “I miss [Diego] Maradona, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Cristiano [Ronaldo], [Lionel] Messi, [Zinédine] Zidane, [Lothar] Matthäus ...”

Conveniently, all those players play for Real Madrid. “The best players in the world, there are two, three or four of them, and we know who they are: they’re here.” However, one stands out.

“For me, there is one who, individually, made history this summer,” Mourinho said of Mbappé, whose major case would appear to be becoming the all-time top scorer in World Cup history over the summer.

Diego Simeone

After watching his compatriot drag Argentina kicking and screaming to the World Cup final, Atlético Madrid manager Diego Simeone had a clear winner. “Messi, without a doubt,” he smiled. “After the World Cup he had, at the age he is, no doubt at all. Messi.”

Joachim Löw

Unlike so many in the realm of German soccer, Joachim Löw overlooked Harry Kane, “Kane is an incredible goalscorer who consistently delivers his 30 goals per season,” the 2014 World Cup-winning manager admitted. “He’s a very pragmatic and effective finisher. The Ballon d’Or calls for more players who create magic.

“In that respect, I see Mbappé ahead of Yamal and [Michael] Olise, even though he didn't win a title with France or Real Madrid last season.”

Thierry Henry

“It’s Kylian Mbappé,” Thierry Henry, who will be presenting this year’s award, predicted. “And yes, people will tell me that he didn’t win anything. I think it happened in history. I think some people need to do their research on that one.

“But for me, it’s Kylian. When you see what he has achieved individually ... top goalscorer in the Champions League, top goalscorer in La Liga and also the World Cup.”

Zlatan Ibrahimović

“He is the best player in the world,” Zlatan Ibrahimović gushed over Lamine Yamal during the World Cup. “He’s a special player. Every time he gets the ball, he’s going to create something, no matter if he has two or three defenders in front of him.”