Sports
Lamine Yamal Emerges Favourite for Ballon d’Or After Spain’s World Cup Triumph
Spain’s World Cup triumph has propelled Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal to the top of the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings, ahead of Argentina captain Lionel Messi and England striker Harry Kane.
Yamal played a key role in Spain’s successful World Cup campaign, making him the leading contender for the prestigious individual award. Former Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele is ranked fourth, followed by France teammate Kylian Mbappe, while England’s Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice also feature in the top 10. The winner will be announced at a gala in October.
Key Points:
• Lamine Yamal (Spain) – Ranked 1st
• Lionel Messi (Argentina) – Ranked 2nd
• Harry Kane (England) – Ranked 3rd
• Ousmane Dembele (France) – Ranked 4th
• Kylian Mbappe (France) – Ranked 5th
• Michael Olise (France) – Ranked 6th
• Jude Bellingham (England) – Ranked 7th
• Declan Rice (England) – Ranked 8th
• Erling Haaland (Norway) – Ranked 9th
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia) – Ranked 10th
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