Ballon d’Or 2026 Full Rankings

Harry Kane has been crowned the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner after a remarkable goalscoring season for Bayern Munich and England, beating Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe to football’s most prestigious individual prize.

The England captain finished ahead of Mbappe in second and Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal in third, while Spain’s World Cup-winning midfielder Rodri came fourth. Eight-time winner Lionel Messi rounded off the top five after another memorable showing at the World Cup.

Paris Saint-Germain were heavily represented following their Champions League success, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and 2025 winner Ousmane Dembele finishing sixth and seventh respectively. Erling Haaland, Michael Olise and Fabian Ruiz completed the top ten.

Below are the confirmed final standings for all 30 nominees.

30

William Saliba

Arsenal and France

REUTERS/Paul Childs

If Gabriel Magalhaes is the muscle, then William Saliba’s poise, pace and ball-playing ability and alongside him in Arsenal’s title-winning back line are arguably even more important.

His reading of the game and composure were central to a campaign that also saw the Gunners reach the Champions League final, and while France’s World Cup ended in disappointment and a recent back injury complicated his campaign, he ultimately finished joint 29th in the voting.

29

Sadio Mane

Al Nassr and Senegal

Even in the twilight of his career in Saudi Arabia, Sadio Mane’s standing as one of the finest African forwards of his generation still carries weight with voters.

His continued influence for Al Nassr and his leadership of the Senegal squad who – kind of – won AFCON have earned him a share of 29th place in the final rankings.

28

Julian Quinones

Al Qadsiah and Mexico

Julian Quinones’ inclusion on the list is the most eye-catching of the 30, but the forward’s electric form since his move to Saudi Arabia’s Al Qadsia has been impossible to ignore, with 37 goals in 35 games throughout 2025/26.

He was stunning for Mexico at the World Cup, bagging four goals including in each of his country’s knockout games, and his nomination reflects the growing pull of Saudi football on the wider conversation, with Quiñones ultimately finishing 28th in the voting.

27

Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United and Portugal

Bruno Fernandes enjoyed arguably the best season of his career at club level, being named Premier League Player of the Season after breaking the competition’s all-time single-season assist record with 21. As Manchester United’s captain and creative hub, his numbers for goals and assists remain exceptional for a central midfielder.

He travelled to his third World Cup determined to help deliver the trophy for Cristiano Ronaldo in what is expected to be the Portugal captain’s final major tournament, but was unable to make the same impact he does at club level, providing just one assist in five appearances.

26

Dayot Upamecano

Bayern Munich and France

Dayot Upamecano was a colossus at the back for a Bayern Munich side that swept to the Bundesliga title, his physicality and composure the platform on which Vincent Kompany’s season was built.

A difficult World Cup with France did little to dent his standing as one of the most complete centre-backs in Europe.

25

Marquinhos

PSG and Brazil

As PSG’s captain, Marquinhos was the leadership figure behind a second successive Champions League triumph, his experience and reliability at the back a constant even as the squad around him evolved.

Brazil’s World Cup once again ended before the latter stages, but his standing at club level has never been higher.

24

Luis Diaz

Bayern Munich and Colombia

Luis Diaz wasted no time making an impact after his move from Liverpool, helping fire Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title with an incredible haul of 15 goals and 14 assists in the German top flight. Bayern boss Vincent Kompany has been effusive in his praise, pointing to Diaz’s dribbling, chance creation and finishing as a complete package.

He carried that form into his first-ever World Cup, scoring and assisting on his tournament debut for Colombia in a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan.

23

Nuno Mendes

PSG and Portugal

Nuno Mendes remains one of the most dynamic full-backs in world football, his combination of defensive discipline and attacking thrust a key feature of PSG’s Champions League retention.

His World Cup with Portugal was a disappointing one as the nation slipped out earlier than hoped, but his club form alone was enough to earn him a nomination, as he racked up 13 direct goal contributions for the French giants throughout 2025/26.

22

Lautaro Martinez

Inter and Argentina

Lautaro Martinez continues to lead Inter’s line with distinction as he approaches his thirties, his goal return keeping the Nerazzurri in contention on multiple fronts throughout last season as they were crowned Serie A and Coppa Italia champions.

Argentina’s bid to defend their world crown fell short, but the captain’s armband at club level and consistent output have kept him firmly in the Ballon d’Or conversation, scoring 22 times in 41 appearances in all competitions in 2025/26.

21

Gabriel Magalhaes

Arsenal and Brazil

Gabriel was one of the defensive cornerstones of Arsenal’s title-winning campaign, anchoring a backline that recorded a huge haul of clean sheets across the Premier League and Champions League as the Gunners won their first league title in over two decades and reached the Champions League final.

He also went beyond his defensive duties, chipping in with goals and assists from set pieces, and made his World Cup debut for Brazil this summer, albeit in a campaign that ended in disappointing fashion. Had the Arsenal stalwart slammed home his penalty to win the Champions League, he would have a legitimate case for the Ballon d’Or podium.