Real Madrid superstar, Kylian Mbappe is now leading the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, while Barcelona youngster, Lamine Yamal surprisingly sits outside the top three ahead of the October 26 award ceremony in London.
Mbappe has emerged as the clear favourite in the voting published by French sports newspaper L’Équipe, as reported by beIN Sports, strengthening his position in the race for football’s most prestigious individual honour.
The poll highlights the strong support Mbappe continues to enjoy following another impressive season at the highest level of the game.
Although the survey will not determine the official winner, it provides an indication of how the contenders are currently rated and suggests that Mbappe has considerable backing as the ceremony approaches.
One of the biggest surprises in the poll is Yamal’s position. The Barcelona youngster, who has been widely regarded as one of the leading contenders in recent months, has failed to secure a place among the poll’s top three.
His absence from the top three is particularly notable given the attention he has received in discussions surrounding the Ballon d’Or. However, the poll does not determine the final outcome of the award.
Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and England captain Harry Kane occupy the second and third positions, respectively, behind Mbappe in the ranking released by L’Équipe.
Their positions highlight the competitiveness of the race, even as Mbappe establishes a significant lead over his rivals in the French newspaper’s poll.
With Mbappe leading the voting and Yamal outside the top three, the latest ranking has added another talking point to the Ballon d’Or debate ahead of the official announcement.
Ballon d’Or 2026: Lamine Yamal falls far behind as Mbappe leads race [See top three]