Ballon d’Or 2026 power rankings: Bookies’ favourite Harry Kane only fifth

The Ballon d'Or 2026 is almost upon us, with Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane currently the bookies' favourite to pick up the prestigious award.

However, he is not top of our power rankings, scored out of 100 based on four criteria, each scored out of 25 – club success, individual club form, national team success and national team individual form.

Here, FootballWhispers reveals who tops our power rankings from the 30 candidates, and therefore should win the Ballon d'Or 2026.

Ballon d'Or 2026 power rankings: Our countdown

According to our power rankings, Julian Quinones is the least-deserving of the Ballon d'Or, scoring just 19 out of 100 for our criteria.

Not playing in a major European league hinders his chances, as well as fellow Saudi Pro League player Sadio Mane, who ranks just above him in 29th.

There is a big jump in terms of score to Bruno Fernandes in 28th, while Paris Saint-Germain superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia surprisingly does not make the top 25.

Sneaking into the top 20 is Luis Diaz, while Marquinhos and Erling Haaland are not far ahead of him.

Lionel Messi does not make the top 15 as he ranks in 16th, while Declan Rice kicks off the top 10.

Ballon d'Or 2025 winner Ousmane Dembele is only in ninth, while Real Madrid sensation Kylian Mbappe is ranked seventh.

Bookies' favourite Kane is only just breaks into the top five, with Pau Cubarsi and Fabian Ruiz in fourth and third respectively, after winning the World Cup with Spain and domestic titles with Barcelona and PSG.

Lamine Yamal takes our runners-up spot, behind Ballon d'Or 2024 winner Rodri, who based on our power rankings, deserves to win the accolade again in 2026.

He was named player of the tournament after winning the World Cup with Spain, and despite not winning the Premier League or Champions League with Manchester City in 2025/26, he won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup and was as instrumental as ever in the team before moving to Barcelona this summer.