Kane Leads Ballon d'Or Race with 73 Goals, One Step Away from England's First Win in 24 Years

The 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees have been officially announced, with Harry Kane entering the 30-player shortlist after scoring 73 goals in a single season, making him one of the biggest favorites for the men's Ballon d'Or. The awards ceremony will be held in London on October 26.

England captain and Bayern Munich forward Kane has scored 73 goals in total for club and country, and is currently the leading favorite according to the odds. If he wins, he will become the first English player to win the men's Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001. However, the 33-year-old Kane lacks a top-level major trophy, which could be a disadvantage in the race.

Men's Ballon d'Or nominees

The 30-player shortlist includes players from many elite clubs. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Barcelona all have players selected. The full list is as follows:

Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/England)

Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona/Spain)

Marc Cucurella (Chelsea/Real Madrid/Spain)

Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain/France)

Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich/Colombia)

Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United/Portugal)

Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal/Brazil)

Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway)

Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain/Morocco)

Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/England)

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain/Georgia)

Lamine Yamal (Barcelona/Spain)

Sadio Mane (Al Nassr/Senegal)

Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain/Brazil)

Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan/Argentina)

Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid/France)

Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain/Portugal)

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami/Argentina)

Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain/Portugal)

Michael Olise (Bayern Munich/France)

Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain/Ecuador)

Julian Quinones (Al-Qadisiyah/Mexico)

Declan Rice (Arsenal/England)

Rodri (Manchester City/Barcelona/Spain)

Fabian Ruiz (Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain/Spain)

William Saliba (Arsenal/France)

Ferran Torres (Paris Saint-Germain/Spain)

Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/France)

Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/Brazil)

Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain/Portugal)

Main contenders each have their own strengths

The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri led Spain to the World Cup title and also won the World Cup Golden Ball. French and Real Madrid forward Mbappe scored 10 goals at the World Cup, breaking the tournament scoring record.

Paris Saint-Germain's Kvaratskhelia did not participate in the World Cup, but he stood out in last season's men's UEFA Champions League, leading the team to defend its European title. These players, together with Kane, form the main competitive landscape for the men's Ballon d'Or.

Women's Ballon d'Or nominees announced at the same time

The women's Ballon d'Or nominees have also been announced, featuring clubs including Lyon, Orlando Pride, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Club America and Kansas City Current. Some of the nominees include:

Selma Bacha (Lyon/France)

Barbra Banda (Orlando Pride/Zambia)

Esmee Brugts (Barcelona/Netherlands)

Klara Buhl (Bayern Munich/Germany)

Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal/Spain)

Scarlett Camberos (Club America/Mexico)

Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current/Malawi)

The ceremony will be held in London, where the final winners of the men's and women's Ballon d'Or awards will be revealed.