As the minutes go by, the announcement of the winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or draws ever closer. An oversight on the official website, which went viral on social media, revealed three possible scenarios in which Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and Harry Kane each emerge as the winner of the prestigious award.
Taking this situation into account and judging by the graphics, Lionel Messi would ultimately be out of contention for a ninth Ballon d’Or. The other three, meanwhile, would each be lifting the trophy for the first time in their careers.
Much has been said about Yamal’s situation, as he could have a slight advantage over the other contenders after winning the 2026 World Cup with Spain. However, both Mbappe and Kane have also put up outstanding numbers, both at the World Cup and at club level.
In a lineup that notably excludes Cristiano Ronaldo, among others, this could be the moment for a new generation of players to claim the prestigious award. Who will ultimately be crowned the winner of this year’s edition?
Some names have fallen out of contention
Thirty players were selected for the final stage of the award race. However, only one will be crowned the new Ballon d’Or winner. Some names, for instance, have already fallen out of contention in the final selection.
According to insider Fabrizio Romano on his X account, high-profile players such as Marquinhos finished in 25th place. Lautaro Martinez ranked 22nd in the voting, while Declan Rice finished 15th, placing him in the middle of the standings.
Another name that generated plenty of anticipation regarding how far he would go in the rankings was Vinicius Jr. His disappointing performance at the last World Cup ultimately worked against the Brazilian forward, who finished 17th in the voting.
Key takeaways
- An website oversight leaked graphics showing Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and Harry Kane as winners.
- Lionel Messi appears to be out of contention for a ninth Ballon d’Or.
- Fabrizio Romano revealed lower-tier rankings, including Marquinhos at 25th and Vinicius Jr. at 17th.
