Three players compete for 2026 soccer award in London

Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, and Harry Kane are the three finalists for the 2026 Ballon d'Or. The winner of soccer's top individual prize will be named at a ceremony at the London Palladium on Monday. The event marks the end of a season where all three players posted exceptional individual statistics.

Yamal, a 19-year-old winger for Barcelona, has been vocal about his chances. He joined his national teammate, who recently retired from international football, in backing himself for the award. Mbappe, the French forward for Real Madrid, also publicly supported his own candidacy. Kane, the English striker for Bayern Munich, has been quieter, preferring to let his goal tally speak.

Data firms and bookmakers offer conflicting predictions. Avisia, a French analysis company, gives Yamal a 23 percent chance of winning. It lists Kane second at 21 percent and Mbappe third at 19 percent. Rodri, the 2024 winner, is also at 19 percent, while Lionel Messi sits fifth at 18 percent. Bookmakers view the race differently, with Kane as the favorite at roughly 70 percent.

Former and current players have cast their votes. Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone favors Messi, noting his performance at age 38. Jude Bellingham supports Kane, calling him hard-working. Anthony Gordon backs Yamal, while Aurelien Tchouameni supports Mbappe.

Mbappe leads in scoring numbers. He finished as the top scorer in La Liga with 25 goals and in the Champions League with 15. He also took the World Cup Golden Boot with 12 goals. Kane scored 73 goals in the last season, the highest total by any player since Messi's 82 goals in 2011-12.

Trophies weigh heavily on the decision. Mbappe won no major titles with club or country. Kane won the Bundesliga but finished third at the World Cup. Yamal won the World Cup with Spain and La Liga with Barcelona. Only four of the last 19 winners did not take home a major tournament trophy that year.

If Yamal wins, he will become the youngest recipient of the award. The current record is held by Ronaldo of Brazil, who won the prize in 1997 at age 21.