Who should win the men’s Ballon d’Or? The Athletic asked 100 people from elite football to vote

Harry Kane has finished first in an anonymous survey conducted by The Athletic asking 100 elite football figures to vote for the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or. Kane accumulated 1,103 total points and 39 first-place votes after scoring 73 goals for Bayern Munich and England during the 2025-26 season. Barcelona's Lamine Yamal finished second with 991 points, while Kylian Mbappe placed third with 728 points.

The panel consisted of current and former players, managers, coaches, sporting directors, and executives from across global football. A total of 11 players received first-place votes, including Lionel Messi, who placed fifth overall with nine top votes, and Michael Olise in fourth. The official 2026 Ballon d'Or winner is scheduled to be announced in London on Monday, October 26.