The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place on Monday (October 26th) at the London Palladium and there are 10 awards on offer.
The likes of Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal are battling it out to win the men's Ballon d'Or award while the Feminin award is looking set to be contested between Alexia Putellas and Ewa Pajor.
Other awards that will be presented include the Young Talent of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, Coach of the Year and Team of the Year. These factor in both club and international contributions.
With the red carpet set to be rolled out for the gala in the English capital, Striver.Football's Matthew Guyett and Tia Thorne have decided who should win each category this year.
Men's Ballon d'Or
Winner: Harry Kane (England & Bayern Munich)
While Yamal may have fired Barcelona to a La Liga title last season, he didn't quite shine as much as other superstars at the World Cup. That's despite Spain becoming two-time world champions as you'd have expected him to have played the lead role.
Kane, meanwhile, remained prolific during that tournament, scoring seven goals in as many games. Throughout the course of the 2025-26 campaign, he found the back of the net an astounding 73 times, a feat only bettered by Lionel Messi in 2011-12.
The England captain might not have won the World Cup or the UEFA Champions League but he added a second Bundesliga title to his trophy cabinet. It's easy to point out his statistics, but his overall influence on both Bayern Munich and the Three Lions makes him a worthy winner.
Runner-Up: Lamine Yamal (Spain & Barcelona)
Yamal is undoubtedly the most exciting talent in world football right now and he starred in Hansi Flick's Barca team last season. With 16 goals and 12 assists in 28 La Liga games, his importance for the Catalans is obvious.
The 19-year-old would deserve to win if not for Kane's incredible goalscoring achievements along with a somewhat underwhelming World Cup campaign. From an entertainment standpoint, he's well within his rights to believe he should be taking the award home.
Third-Place: Kylian Mbappe (France & Real Madrid)
The Real Madrid forward remains one of the world's most dominant attackers but finishing the season trophyless rules him out. You can't fault his effort to try and fire both club and country to glory including becoming the all-time top goalscorer at the World Cup.
One day, Kylian Mbappe will surely win the Ballon d'Or but it won't be on Monday. Still, he continues to earn a place on the podium as he has time and time again.
Honourable Mention: Lionel Messi (Argentina & Inter Miami)
It feels like this is the last year we will realistically see Lionel Messi be competing for the Ballon d'Or. The Argentine hero ended his international career after his nation's defeat to Spain in the World Cup final.
For many, Messi should have won the Golden Ball award at that tournament for inspired performances. That's not forgetting how he's completely taken Inter Miami to the next level, captaining the Herons to the MLS Cup.
Women's Ballon d'Or
Winner: Alexia Putellas (London City Lionesses & Spain)
Putellas managed an incredible tally of 24 goals and 13 assists in the 2025-26 season. She picked up trophies throughout, winning the UEFA Women’s Nations League, Liga F, Supercopa de España, Copa de la Reina and UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Now at London City Lionesses, she combined outstanding individual numbers with a trophy-laden campaign for Barcelona and Spain. Her leadership, creativity and ability to deliver in important matches make her the obvious choice for the Ballon d’Or Féminin.
Runner-Up: Ewa Pajor (Poland & Barcelona)
Putellas' former Barca teammate, Ewa Pajor put in stellar showings last season, finding the back of the net 33 times and registering seven assists. She also claimed Liga F, Supercopa de España, Copa de la Reina and UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Pajor was instrumental in Barcelona’s quadruple-winning season, scoring in all five of the club’s Champions League knockout matches. Her two goals in the final against Lyon underlined her ability to perform on the biggest stage.
Third-Place: Melchie Dumornay (Haiti & OL Lyonnes)
The Haitian midfielder helped OL Lyonnes win the Coupe de la Ligue, Coupe de France and Première Ligue.
Melchie Dumornay enjoyed a brilliant season, consistently producing decisive performances for Lyon. Her goals in domestic finals, league-winning hat-trick and influential Champions League displays make her a deserved podium selection.
Honourable Mention: Khadija Shaw (Jamaica & Manchester City)
Khadija Shaw was one of the most prolific forwards in women’s football, scoring 21 league goals in 22 appearances. Her goalscoring consistency and contribution to Manchester City’s domestic double make her a worthy honourable mention.
The experienced Jamaican fired City to a Barclays Women's Super League and FA Cup double. Her 39 goals and nine assists across the 2025-26 campaign speak for themselves.
Men's Young Talent of the Year
Winner: Lamine Yamal
If Yamal isn't winning the Ballon d'Or though, he's certainly going to retain the Kopa Trophy for a third year in a row. With 25 goals and 20 assists for club and country, he will surely be making history by becoming a third-time winner.
Runner-Up: Pau Cubarsi (Spain & Barcelona)
Pau Cubarsi can count himself unfortunate to be in a category with Barca teammate Yamal. The 19-year-old Spanish defender played a more pivotal role in his country's World Cup triumph, putting in sensational defensive displays to win the Young Player of the Tournament award.
Third-Place: Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast & Real Madrid)
It's tough to call who deserves third place from the list of nominees but Yan Diomande earned a move to Real Madrid with dazzling performances for RB Leipzig. While the 19-year-old didn't quite catch the eye at the World Cup as many predicted, he had already shown the world his huge potential in the Bundesliga.
Women's Young Talent of the Year
Winner: Vicky López (Spain & Barcelona)
Vicky López helped Barcelona secure a historic quadruple during the 2025/26 season, while also continuing to establish herself at international level. Her technical ability, versatility and maturity make her one of my leading young-player selections.
The Spaniard won Liga F, Supercopa de España, Copa de la Reina and UEFA Women’s Champions League. It's hard to look past the 20-year-old who looks destined for greatness.
Runner-Up - Felicia Schröder (Sweden & Real Madrid)
Felicia Schröder impressed during her time at Häcken, particularly in the Europa final, where she scored four goals across the two-legged final. Her performances and leadership made her one of the most exciting emerging talents in European football, winning the Europa Cup and BK Häcken.
Third-Place: Clara Serrajordi (Spain & Barcelona)
Another Barca star on the rise, Clara Serrajordi enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, earning a place in the starting XI and featuring in the Champions League final. Her development, confidence and technical quality make her a deserving nominee.
Men's Goalkeeper of the Year
Winner: David Raya (Spain & Arsenal)
Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for Premier League glory and had David Raya to thank for inspired performances between the sticks. He might not have earned a starting berth in Spain's World Cup squad but he is the best goalkeeper in club football, keeping 19 clean sheets in 37 league games.
Runner-Up: Unai Simon (Spain & Athletic Club)
Luis de la Fuente is a big Unai Simon fan and his trust in the Athletic Club goalkeeper paid off at the World Cup. You have to be at the top of your game to be keeping Raya out of the team, and he was brilliant during the international tournament in the summer.
Third-Place: Matvey Safonov (Russia & PSG)
Much was made of Luis Enrique's decision to sell Gianluigi Donnarumma to Manchester City. It put Matvey Safonov under pressure to become Paris Saint-Germain's new number one and he more than proved his worth, helping the Parisians retain their Ligue 1 and European titles.
Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year
Winner: Cata Coll (Spain & Barcelona)
With a record of 23 clean sheets during 2025/26, Cata Coll was unbeatable at times. Her shot-stopping abilities came in handy for Spain and Barca.
Coll won the UEFA Women’s Nations League, Liga F, Supercopa de España, Copa de la Reina and UEFA Women’s Champions League. Crucial saves in the Champions League final highlight her importance to the Catalans' success along with her composure and ability to perform under pressure.
Runner-Up: Hannah Hampton (England & Chelsea)
Hannah Hampton’s reflexes, distribution and composure make her one of the leading goalkeepers in women’s football. As the winner of the inaugural Women’s Yashin Trophy in 2025, she has already demonstrated her ability to compete at the highest level.
Third-Place: Ayaka Yamashita (Japan & Manchester City)
Yamashita brings experience, strong shot-stopping ability and composure in possession. Her performances for Manchester City and Japan make her a deserving nominee in a highly competitive goalkeeper category after winning the AFC Women's Asian Cup and domestic success with City.
Men's Coach of the Year
Winner: Luis de la Fuente
This is tough to call between Luis de la Fuente and Luis Enrique but the Spain boss just shades it given he led La Roja to World Cup glory unbeaten. That included wins over France and Argentina while implementing an exciting brand of football that had the world mesmerised.
Women’s Coach of the Year
Winner: Pere Romeu (Barcelona)
Pere Romeu’s case is built around Barcelona’s outstanding quadruple-winning campaign, including Champions League success. His ability to maintain the club’s high standards across multiple competitions makes him a strong choice.
Team of the Year
Men's Winner: PSG
PSG didn't just successfully defend their Champons League crown, they did so in style. They carved up one of the greatest European ties of all time after 6-5 on aggregate in the semi-finals before beating a pragmatic Arsenal side on penalties in the final.
Another Ligue 1 title was added to their trophy cabinet and their dominance domestically and in Europe sees them beat Spain and Bayern Munich to top spot.
Women's Winner: Barcelona
Barcelona’s quadruple, including the UEFA Women’s Champions League, makes them my leading club selection. Their domestic dominance and European success demonstrate their quality across the entire season.
City and Club America come in at second and third place respectively given their domestic success. Both deserve recognition for their achievements in 2025-26.
