[REVISION HISTORY]

Football Ballon d'Or and player rating discussions

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What changed

2026-09-09 20:01 UTC → 2026-09-11 11:13 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Discussions regarding the world’s top football players have intensified, focusing on the Ballon d’Or race and player ratings for the upcoming EA Sports FC 27 video game. Initial reports identified Harry Kane as a major favorite for the Ballon d’Or following a prolific season with Bayern Munich. Other prominent contenders included Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Kylian Mbappé. In the EA Sports FC 27 ratings, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé were tied for the highest overall rating of 91, while Cristiano Ronaldo saw a decline to an 84 rating. Subsequent developments saw Kylian Mbappé emerge as a leading candidate for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Despite a season without collective trophies at Real Madrid, his candidacy is supported by individual performances and record-breaking achievements in World Cup history. Real Madrid manager José Mourinho expressed support for the striker, suggesting the award should recognize players who “leave an eternal mark on history.” According to Score 90, Mbappé is currently considered the favorite, with Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane positioned as the second and third favorites. Mbappé has addressed his candidacy directly, stating he considers himself a “natural candidate” following his performance in the recent World Cup, where he scored 10 goals. Recent debates among football legends have further complicated the race. Zinedine Zidane has expressed support for Lionel Messi, citing the Argentine’s performance at age 39 and his statistics with Inter Miami, including 45 goals and 30 assists in the 2025/26 season. Conversely, Thierry Henry named Mbappé as his preferred candidate, arguing that individual dominance in the Champions League, La Liga, and the World Cup should take precedence over team trophies. Following the announcement of the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, French players Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé have emerged as key candidates.

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