Ballon d’Or 2026 Rankings Updated: Lamine Yamal Drops as Mbappe Climbs After El Clasico
- Lamine Yamal's Ballon d'Or hopes have taken a hit following Barcelona's La Liga defeat to Real Madrid on Sunday, October 25
- Kylian Mbappe's brace against the Catalan giants has sent his odds climbing ahead of the 70th edition ceremony
- Harry Kane, on the other hand, could make history on multiple fronts if he lifts the prize at this year's London ceremony
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With less than 24 hours to go before the 70th Ballon d'Or ceremony, fresh odds have reshuffled the field, and Barcelona's Lamine Yamal finds himself slipping down the rankings.
The teenage Spanish winger had been considered one of the stronger contenders heading into the prestigious night, but his subdued performance in El Clasico appears to have dented his prospects.
Source: Getty Images
Ballon d'Or: Yamal drops, Mbappe rises after El Clásico
Barcelona fell to their first La Liga defeat in 10 matches at the hands of Real Madrid, and Yamal, who came in rated 6.8 by Sofascore — the lowest score among Barca's attacking unit — could not add to his already impressive tally of eight goals and six assists in the season to that point.
According to prediction market platform Polymarket, his probability of lifting the award now stands at just 10%.
On the other side of that Clasico result, Kylian Mbappe emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries.
The French forward scored twice to condemn the Catalan giants, and bookmakers have responded by pushing his odds up to 21%, placing him second in the current Polymarket rankings.
Kane tipped to win Ballon d'Or
Despite the movement around both players, neither is the frontrunner. That distinction belongs to Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, who carries a commanding 68% probability of winning, per Polymarket.
Should Kane claim the honour, the history books would open on several fronts. He would become the first English winner of the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001.
The ceremony itself is also steeped in symbolism: held in London, the city where Kane was born, it marks the first time the event has moved away from Paris.
And with Sir Stanley Matthews, also an Englishman, having been the very first recipient of the award, a Kane victory would bring the prize's story full circle in a rather poetic fashion.
Updated top 10 Ballon d'Or rankings
The full Polymarket top ten ahead of the ceremony is as follows:
- Harry Kane
- Kylian Mbappe
- Lamine Yamal
- Lionel Messi
- Rodri
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
- Erling Haaland
- Jude Bellingham
- Ousmane Dembélé
- Vinicius Junior
It is worth noting that voting for the award closed at midnight European time on Monday, 28 September 2026.
All performances considered by voters were drawn from the period between 3 August 2025 and 19 July 2026.
Kane reacts to winning 2026 Ballon d'Or award
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Harry Kane has played down his chances of winning the 2026 Ballon d’Or despite his record-breaking season.
The Bayern Munich striker said the final decision rests with the voters.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
