A glittering shortlist of 30 nominees has been confirmed for the men’s award, with Harry Kane and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal emerging as the clear frontrunners. The England captain’s prolific scoring form for Bayern Munich and Yamal’s dazzling performances for Barcelona and Spain have positioned both players as strong candidates to claim the golden ball.
The full list of nominees reflects an outstanding season across Europe’s major leagues and on the international stage. Defending champion Ousmane Dembélé of Paris Saint-Germain is among those seeking to retain the trophy, while Lionel Messi makes a notable return to the shortlist after a two-year absence. Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior and Rodri also feature prominently among the contenders.
The complete 30-man shortlist is as follows:
consensus ranking ahead of the official results:
1. Harry Kane (England / Bayern Munich)
2. Lamine Yamal (Spain / Barcelona)
3. Kylian Mbappé (France / Real Madrid)
4. Michael Olise (France / Bayern Munich)
5. Lionel Messi (Argentina / Inter Miami)
6. Rodri (Spain / Manchester City / Barcelona)
7. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia / Paris Saint-Germain)
8. Erling Haaland (Norway / Manchester City)
9. Ousmane Dembélé (France / Paris Saint-Germain)
10. Jude Bellingham (England / Real Madrid)
11. Vinícius Júnior (Brazil / Real Madrid)
12. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco / Paris Saint-Germain)
13. Vitinha (Portugal / Paris Saint-Germain)
14. Nuno Mendes (Portugal / Paris Saint-Germain)
15. Declan Rice (England / Arsenal)
16. João Neves (Portugal / Paris Saint-Germain)
17. Lautaro Martínez (Argentina / Inter Milan)
18. William Saliba (France / Arsenal)
19. Pau Cubarsí (Spain / Barcelona)
20. Luis Díaz (Colombia / Bayern Munich)
21. Dayot Upamecano (France / Bayern Munich)
22. Marquinhos (Brazil / Paris Saint-Germain)
23. Fabián Ruiz (Spain / Paris Saint-Germain)
24. Gabriel Magalhães (Brazil / Arsenal)
25. Bruno Fernandes (Portugal / Manchester United)
26. Ferran Torres (Spain / Barcelona / Paris Saint-Germain)
27. Marc Cucurella (Spain / Chelsea / Real Madrid)
28. Willian Pacho (Ecuador / Paris Saint-Germain)
29. Sadio Mané (Senegal / Al-Nassr)
30. Julián Quiñones (Mexico / Al-Qadsiah)
Kane’s extraordinary goalscoring record for Bayern Munich, combined with England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals, has made him the bookmakers’ favourite. Yamal, still only 19, has continued his rapid rise with a series of decisive performances for both club and country, following his second-place finish in last year’s ranking.
The presence of three previous winners — Messi, Dembélé and Rodri — adds further intrigue to the race. Paris Saint-Germain have a strong representation with multiple nominees, while Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Arsenal also feature heavily.
Voting for the Ballon d’Or is conducted by a panel of specialised journalists from around the world, who assess players on individual performances, team success and overall contribution during the qualifying period. The winner will be announced during this evening’s ceremony, which is being hosted by Kate Scott and Thierry Henry.
As the football world gathers in London, attention remains firmly fixed on whether Kane can finally claim the award that has so far eluded him, or whether the youthful brilliance of Yamal will prevail.