BALLON D’OR 2026: KANE, YAMAL, MBAPPÉ OR DEMBÉLÉ WHO REALLY DESERVES IT? 👀
8 min readFootball
Football fans, gather here. 😂⚽ We need to settle something before Monday!
The Ballon d'Or ceremony is almost here, and you already know what that means. Some fans are preparing their victory celebrations, others are sharpening their arguments, and a few people are probably ready to declare the award a robbery before the winner's name is even announced.
That's football for you!
On Monday, 26 October, the football world will turn its attention to London for the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony. Among the nominees are Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Vitinha and several other players who have made their mark on the game.
But forget the ceremony for a moment.
If the decision were in your hands, who would you crown the best player in the world?
Because, honestly, this debate is not as simple as looking at a player's name, checking his club badge and handing him the trophy.
Let's talk about it!
1\. HARRY KANE: IS THIS FINALLY HIS MOMENT?
Let's start with Harry Kane.
For years, Kane has been one of those strikers whose individual quality is rarely questioned, but whose trophy cabinet has often become part of the conversation whenever people discuss his career.
Now, after an outstanding season with Bayern Munich, he enters this year's race as one of the leading contenders. Reports credit him with 61 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions, alongside a domestic treble with Bayern.
Those numbers are serious!
But here's where the debate gets interesting.
Should we reward Kane because he has been an outstanding goalscorer, or should we examine how much his overall contribution influenced Bayern's success?
Personally, I think a striker who consistently delivers goals deserves enormous credit. Goals change matches. They win points. They turn difficult evenings into celebrations.
But football is bigger than the number of times a player finds the net.
If Kane wins, his supporters will have a strong case. If he doesn't, however, we shouldn't automatically assume that the voters have ignored his quality.
The real question is whether his individual season stands above everyone else's.
And that's a different argument entirely.
2\. LAMINE YAMAL: THE YOUNG MAN WHO REFUSES TO BE TREATED LIKE A CHILD!
Now, let's talk about Lamine Yamal.
Bro, this young man has reached a point where simply calling him a promising talent doesn't tell the full story anymore.
He's already being discussed alongside established superstars in the race for football's biggest individual prize.
And that tells you something.
Yamal has the ability to take on defenders, create chances and make supporters rise from their seats. When he receives the ball in a dangerous area, you can feel the anticipation. People start expecting something special.
But let's be fair here.
Being exciting isn't the same as having the strongest Ballon d'Or case.
The question isn't whether Yamal is talented enough to win the award one day. The question is whether his performances and achievements during the relevant period put him ahead of the other nominees.
That's where the real assessment begins.
And as a Barcelona supporter, I understand why Barça fans would love to see him win.
But supporting Barcelona doesn't mean we must pretend that every Barcelona player automatically deserves every individual award.
We have to be able to separate emotion from analysis.
Still, imagine Yamal winning the Ballon d'Or at this stage of his career. What a statement that would be!
Would you give him your vote, or do you think he still has something to prove before taking that final step?
3\. KYLIAN MBAPPÉ: DOES INDIVIDUAL BRILLIANCE STILL COUNT FOR ENOUGH?
Now we've arrived at Mbappé's corner.
And we already know how this conversation goes.
Some fans will point to his goalscoring ability, his speed, his movement and his capacity to change a match in a matter of seconds.
Others will immediately bring up team achievements and ask whether individual brilliance is enough to win the Ballon d'Or.
Both sides have a point.
Football is a team sport, but individual awards exist because certain players make an extraordinary difference within that team.
If we judge players only by the trophies their clubs win, we risk overlooking brilliant individual campaigns. But if we ignore team achievements completely, we also miss an important part of a player's season.
So where should the balance lie?
For me, Mbappé deserves to be assessed on what he actually delivered, the consistency of his performances and how decisive he was in important matches.
Not simply because he plays for Real Madrid.
Not simply because he's Mbappé.
And certainly not because his fans can make the loudest noise online. 😂
If he wins, the argument should be built around his performances. If he loses, his supporters should be able to explain why they believe another nominee had the stronger season.
That's how a proper football debate should work.
4\. OUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ: CAN THE DEFENDING CHAMPION DO IT AGAIN?
Here's another interesting name: Ousmane Dembélé.
The PSG forward enters the ceremony as the reigning men's Ballon d'Or holder after winning the award in 2025.
And this is where things get complicated.
Winning the Ballon d'Or once is difficult enough. Winning it again means convincing voters that your latest campaign deserves to stand above those of the other elite players.
Last year's achievements matter as part of his story, but they shouldn't automatically secure him another trophy.
He has to be judged on the relevant season.
That's an important distinction because football fans sometimes fall into the trap of judging a player by reputation.
A player who has won everything can still have a season in which somebody else performs better.
Likewise, a player who hasn't won the award before shouldn't be overlooked simply because another candidate has a bigger name.
Dembélé's supporters will have their own arguments, and I'm interested to hear them.
Can the defending champion retain his crown, or is it time for a new name to take centre stage?
5\. MICHAEL OLISE AND THE REST: ARE WE PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION?
Now, let's not turn this into a four-man competition when the official shortlist contains 30 nominees.
Michael Olise, Vitinha, Achraf Hakimi, Erling Haaland, Declan Rice, Lionel Messi and several other players are also on the men's shortlist. �
UEFA.com
And this is one reason I enjoy the Ballon d'Or debate.
Different fans value different things.
One supporter might value goals above everything else. Another might look at the way a midfielder controls a match. Someone else might argue that a defender who consistently prevents goals deserves more recognition.
And honestly, those are conversations worth having.
Football doesn't happen only in the penalty box.
The midfielder who controls the tempo, the defender who handles a dangerous opponent and the player who makes the decisive contribution in a difficult match all influence what happens on the pitch.
That's why I don't like reducing the entire discussion to goals and popularity.
Goals matter enormously, but football intelligence, consistency, influence and decisive performances matter too.
The challenge is determining which nominee combined those qualities most convincingly over the relevant period.
And that is precisely what makes the Ballon d'Or difficult to judge.
HERE'S THE QUESTION THAT MATTERS MOST: WHAT SHOULD THE BALLON D'OR REWARD?
Let's put our club loyalties aside for a moment.
If you support Barcelona, you might naturally want Yamal to win.
If you're a Real Madrid supporter, Mbappé or Vinícius Júnior might be your choice.
Bayern fans have reasons to support Kane or Olise, while PSG supporters may be backing Dembélé, Vitinha or another member of their squad.
That's completely understandable.
But if we want an award that genuinely recognises the best individual footballer, we need to ask ourselves a more difficult question.
Should the Ballon d'Or reward the best individual season, or should winning major trophies carry almost as much weight?
Personally, I believe individual performance should come first, with team achievements providing important context.
Why?
Because a player's award should reflect what that player contributed on the pitch, not simply how successful his teammates were.
At the same time, football is a team sport, and performances in major competitions can reveal qualities that ordinary statistics don't always capture.
There's room for both considerations.
The difficult part is deciding which player made the strongest overall case.
And no, scoring the most goals doesn't automatically settle every argument.
Neither does winning the biggest trophy.
If it were that simple, we wouldn't be having this conversation every year! 😂🔥
MATCHDAY INTEL WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Let's make this interesting.
Forget what the bookmakers say. Forget what rival fans are shouting. And forget choosing somebody simply because he plays for your club.
If you had ONE vote for the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or, who would get it?
Would you choose Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, or somebody else on the shortlist?
And more importantly, what is your strongest argument for your choice?
Don't just drop a name and disappear.
Give us your football reasoning. Tell us what your favourite candidate did to deserve the award, and let's see whether another supporter can convince you otherwise.
Respectful disagreements are welcome. Different opinions make football beautiful.
Let's debate!
The Ballon d'Or ceremony is almost here, and you already know what that means. Some fans are preparing their victory celebrations, others are sharpening their arguments, and a few people are probably ready to declare the award a robbery before the winner's name is even announced.
That's football for you!
On Monday, 26 October, the football world will turn its attention to London for the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony. Among the nominees are Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, Vitinha and several other players who have made their mark on the game.
But forget the ceremony for a moment.
If the decision were in your hands, who would you crown the best player in the world?
Because, honestly, this debate is not as simple as looking at a player's name, checking his club badge and handing him the trophy.
Let's talk about it!
1\. HARRY KANE: IS THIS FINALLY HIS MOMENT?
Let's start with Harry Kane.
For years, Kane has been one of those strikers whose individual quality is rarely questioned, but whose trophy cabinet has often become part of the conversation whenever people discuss his career.
Now, after an outstanding season with Bayern Munich, he enters this year's race as one of the leading contenders. Reports credit him with 61 goals in 51 appearances across all competitions, alongside a domestic treble with Bayern.
Those numbers are serious!
But here's where the debate gets interesting.
Should we reward Kane because he has been an outstanding goalscorer, or should we examine how much his overall contribution influenced Bayern's success?
Personally, I think a striker who consistently delivers goals deserves enormous credit. Goals change matches. They win points. They turn difficult evenings into celebrations.
But football is bigger than the number of times a player finds the net.
If Kane wins, his supporters will have a strong case. If he doesn't, however, we shouldn't automatically assume that the voters have ignored his quality.
The real question is whether his individual season stands above everyone else's.
And that's a different argument entirely.
2\. LAMINE YAMAL: THE YOUNG MAN WHO REFUSES TO BE TREATED LIKE A CHILD!
Now, let's talk about Lamine Yamal.
Bro, this young man has reached a point where simply calling him a promising talent doesn't tell the full story anymore.
He's already being discussed alongside established superstars in the race for football's biggest individual prize.
And that tells you something.
Yamal has the ability to take on defenders, create chances and make supporters rise from their seats. When he receives the ball in a dangerous area, you can feel the anticipation. People start expecting something special.
But let's be fair here.
Being exciting isn't the same as having the strongest Ballon d'Or case.
The question isn't whether Yamal is talented enough to win the award one day. The question is whether his performances and achievements during the relevant period put him ahead of the other nominees.
That's where the real assessment begins.
And as a Barcelona supporter, I understand why Barça fans would love to see him win.
But supporting Barcelona doesn't mean we must pretend that every Barcelona player automatically deserves every individual award.
We have to be able to separate emotion from analysis.
Still, imagine Yamal winning the Ballon d'Or at this stage of his career. What a statement that would be!
Would you give him your vote, or do you think he still has something to prove before taking that final step?
3\. KYLIAN MBAPPÉ: DOES INDIVIDUAL BRILLIANCE STILL COUNT FOR ENOUGH?
Now we've arrived at Mbappé's corner.
And we already know how this conversation goes.
Some fans will point to his goalscoring ability, his speed, his movement and his capacity to change a match in a matter of seconds.
Others will immediately bring up team achievements and ask whether individual brilliance is enough to win the Ballon d'Or.
Both sides have a point.
Football is a team sport, but individual awards exist because certain players make an extraordinary difference within that team.
If we judge players only by the trophies their clubs win, we risk overlooking brilliant individual campaigns. But if we ignore team achievements completely, we also miss an important part of a player's season.
So where should the balance lie?
For me, Mbappé deserves to be assessed on what he actually delivered, the consistency of his performances and how decisive he was in important matches.
Not simply because he plays for Real Madrid.
Not simply because he's Mbappé.
And certainly not because his fans can make the loudest noise online. 😂
If he wins, the argument should be built around his performances. If he loses, his supporters should be able to explain why they believe another nominee had the stronger season.
That's how a proper football debate should work.
4\. OUSMANE DEMBÉLÉ: CAN THE DEFENDING CHAMPION DO IT AGAIN?
Here's another interesting name: Ousmane Dembélé.
The PSG forward enters the ceremony as the reigning men's Ballon d'Or holder after winning the award in 2025.
And this is where things get complicated.
Winning the Ballon d'Or once is difficult enough. Winning it again means convincing voters that your latest campaign deserves to stand above those of the other elite players.
Last year's achievements matter as part of his story, but they shouldn't automatically secure him another trophy.
He has to be judged on the relevant season.
That's an important distinction because football fans sometimes fall into the trap of judging a player by reputation.
A player who has won everything can still have a season in which somebody else performs better.
Likewise, a player who hasn't won the award before shouldn't be overlooked simply because another candidate has a bigger name.
Dembélé's supporters will have their own arguments, and I'm interested to hear them.
Can the defending champion retain his crown, or is it time for a new name to take centre stage?
5\. MICHAEL OLISE AND THE REST: ARE WE PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION?
Now, let's not turn this into a four-man competition when the official shortlist contains 30 nominees.
Michael Olise, Vitinha, Achraf Hakimi, Erling Haaland, Declan Rice, Lionel Messi and several other players are also on the men's shortlist. �
UEFA.com
And this is one reason I enjoy the Ballon d'Or debate.
Different fans value different things.
One supporter might value goals above everything else. Another might look at the way a midfielder controls a match. Someone else might argue that a defender who consistently prevents goals deserves more recognition.
And honestly, those are conversations worth having.
Football doesn't happen only in the penalty box.
The midfielder who controls the tempo, the defender who handles a dangerous opponent and the player who makes the decisive contribution in a difficult match all influence what happens on the pitch.
That's why I don't like reducing the entire discussion to goals and popularity.
Goals matter enormously, but football intelligence, consistency, influence and decisive performances matter too.
The challenge is determining which nominee combined those qualities most convincingly over the relevant period.
And that is precisely what makes the Ballon d'Or difficult to judge.
HERE'S THE QUESTION THAT MATTERS MOST: WHAT SHOULD THE BALLON D'OR REWARD?
Let's put our club loyalties aside for a moment.
If you support Barcelona, you might naturally want Yamal to win.
If you're a Real Madrid supporter, Mbappé or Vinícius Júnior might be your choice.
Bayern fans have reasons to support Kane or Olise, while PSG supporters may be backing Dembélé, Vitinha or another member of their squad.
That's completely understandable.
But if we want an award that genuinely recognises the best individual footballer, we need to ask ourselves a more difficult question.
Should the Ballon d'Or reward the best individual season, or should winning major trophies carry almost as much weight?
Personally, I believe individual performance should come first, with team achievements providing important context.
Why?
Because a player's award should reflect what that player contributed on the pitch, not simply how successful his teammates were.
At the same time, football is a team sport, and performances in major competitions can reveal qualities that ordinary statistics don't always capture.
There's room for both considerations.
The difficult part is deciding which player made the strongest overall case.
And no, scoring the most goals doesn't automatically settle every argument.
Neither does winning the biggest trophy.
If it were that simple, we wouldn't be having this conversation every year! 😂🔥
MATCHDAY INTEL WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Let's make this interesting.
Forget what the bookmakers say. Forget what rival fans are shouting. And forget choosing somebody simply because he plays for your club.
If you had ONE vote for the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or, who would get it?
Would you choose Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise, or somebody else on the shortlist?
And more importantly, what is your strongest argument for your choice?
Don't just drop a name and disappear.
Give us your football reasoning. Tell us what your favourite candidate did to deserve the award, and let's see whether another supporter can convince you otherwise.
Respectful disagreements are welcome. Different opinions make football beautiful.
Let's debate!