What’s happening with the 2026 Ballon d’Or race
The 2026 Ballon d’Or race has closed its voting, and the field has been pared down to a tight contest between Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal.
Kane, the England captain and Bayern Munich striker, is being backed for a season built on huge goal numbers and team success. Yamal, the Barcelona winger and Spain forward, is being lifted by his age, his impact, and the way he has already played at a top level for club and country.
Anthony Gordon, who has shared the pitch with both men, would not pick between them. He said both have done enough to be in the conversation, praising Yamal’s rise at 19 while also pointing to Kane’s historic scoring season.
The votes are in, and the award is set to be handed out in London on 26 October. One recent wrinkle is that performances in Spain’s 3-2 win over England at Wembley came after the voting deadline, so they should not count in the official ballot even if they linger in people’s minds.
Reporting
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