Harry Kane tops The Athletic's predicted 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings

Following the announcement of the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or by France Football, The Athletic has released its predicted top ten rankings for the award. The winner is scheduled to be announced in London this coming October.

According to The Athletic's projections, Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is expected to take the top spot, followed by his teammate Michael Olise in second place. Rodri of Barcelona is predicted to rank third, with Kylian Mbappé in fourth and Erling Haaland in fifth.

The remaining predicted top ten includes Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (sixth), Lamine Yamal (seventh), Luis Díaz (eighth), Jude Bellingham (ninth), and Lionel Messi in tenth. Despite leading Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final, Messi is projected to occupy the final position in the top ten.