2026 Ballon d’Or Betting Odds
Harry Kane heads the 2026 Ballon d'Or betting after a record-breaking season in Munich, with Lamine Yamal his closest challenger and Kylian Mbappe the only other name priced in single figures. Rodri and Lionel Messi complete the leading group, but on current prices this looks a two-horse race between the Bayern striker and Barcelona's teenage star.
Will Harry Kane Become First English Winner Since Owen?
It’s been twenty-five years since an English player landed the Ballon d’Or. In 2001, Liverpool’s Michael Owen claimed the award, although the only other players to come close since then are Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard. Perhaps it will be Harry Kane who bucks the trend and the Bayern Munich forward is the current favourite to lift the award.
Kane would be a worthy winner and his Ballon d’Or betting odds of 1.67 suggests that the Three Lions captain is likely to be victorious. However, this is someone who finished thirteenth in the 2025 standings. Can the former Tottenham man really bridge a gap considering he mustered just 112 points compared to the 1380 generated by Dembele twelve months ago?
There’s no doubt that the forward has had a meteoric twelve months. At the time of writing, Kane averages more than a goal per game for Bayern Munich. He has netted 99 goals across 97 appearances, with his goals helping the Bavarian side land consecutive Bundesliga titles, even if the German champions continue to fall short in Europe.
Kane also performed a starring role at the 2026 World Cup, helping England to the semi-finals of the competition. He scored six goals to be among the leading marksmen at the tournament and there seems to be a groundswell of popular opinion in the favour of the striker.
Would Lamine Yamal Deserve His First Ballon d’Or?
Lamine Yamal is already a decorated player at the tender age of nineteen. He celebrated his birthday by winning the 2026 World Cup with Spain and that came after landing Euro 2024. He has been a three-time La Liga winner with Barcelona, with the teenager helping the Catalan side to secure consecutive titles in the 2025/26 campaign even if it finished with the player being injured.
Yamal turned out for Spain in the summer tournament despite not being completely fit. The player finished second in last year’s awards, scoring over 1,000 points and it’s clear that this flair player is going to attract plenty of votes due to his exciting style of play. He has also been a winner of the Kopa Award and the betting odds suggest he has a decent chance of victory.
Kylian Mbappe Might Miss Out Once Again
Could Kylian Mbappe be destined to never win a Ballon d’Or award? The 27-year-old is clearly one of the best players in the world although the Frenchman only has one third placed effort to show for his career to date. That came in 2023 and the forward has been overlooked in the previous two years.
Mbappe is third favourite for the 2026 award and he had a typically strong twelve months in front of goal. The Les Bleus captain fired France to the semi-final stage of the World Cup in the summer, while he scored twenty-five goals in thirty-one games for Real Madrid. However, these numbers alone might not be enough to land the spoils.
Can Rodri Somehow Land a Second Ballon d’Or Award?
Rodri was something of a surprise winner in 2024 and he was trading at around the 150/1 mark for the 2026 award a few months ago. However, the Spaniard reappeared for his country at the World Cup and played a big role in helping La Roja to a second World Cup crown. The midfielder then completed a summer move from Manchester City and Real Madrid, with the player having beaten Vinicius Junior into second two years ago.
It appears as though Rodri has his supporters and it might be that the vote is evenly split between Kane and Yamal to the extent where he becomes a genuine contender. However, it could be that the Spaniard simply has to settle for a top-three spot this time around.
Lionel Messi Bidding to Land an Incredible Ninth Ballon d’Or
Messi is sure to canvas plenty of votes when it comes to the 2026 Ballon d’Or and that will include plenty of sentimental support. The Argentine is arguably the greatest player of all time and he was prominent for La Albiceleste at the World Cup when helping to steer his country to the final of the competition before falling short against Spain.
Messi has recently announced his international retirement and the likes of David Beckham have suggested that South American should be the winner of the individual award. The Inter Miami forward has a last chance to win a Ballon d’Or in October and perhaps the 39-year-old can be a surprise winner. However, he’s trading at big odds to win.