Key Takeaways

• Harry Kane won the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.
• Alexia Putellas won the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or for the third time in her career.
• Kane recorded 73 reported goals for Bayern Munich and England across the stated season.
• Putellas was named the UEFA Women’s Champions League Player of the Season after contributing seven goals and seven assists in Barcelona’s European campaign.
• The men’s and women’s top 10 lists feature players from several leading European clubs and international teams.
• The official rankings list ties at 29th in the men’s category and 28th in the women’s category, so the final positions should not be renumbered to create artificial 30th-place entries.
• All detailed season statistics should be checked against their original sources before publication.

Harry Kane and Alexia Putellas emerged as the leading names at the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards, winning the men’s and women’s prizes respectively at the ceremony held at London’s Palladium on Monday, October 26.

Kane, the Bayern Munich and England striker, finished ahead of Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé and Barcelona star Lamine Yamal in the men’s category. Putellas claimed the women’s award for the third time in her career, finishing ahead of Barcelona teammate Ewa Pajor and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw.

The 70th edition of the prestigious football awards was held outside Paris for the first time, marking a significant change in the ceremony’s history. The event recognised outstanding performances across men’s and women’s football during the 2025/26 campaign.

Beyond the two headline winners, the rankings featured established stars, prolific goalscorers, creative midfielders and players whose performances helped their clubs and national teams compete at the highest level.

Harry Kane Headlines the Men’s Ballon d’Or Rankings

Kane’s victory followed a remarkable scoring campaign for Bayern Munich and England. He recorded 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern across all competitions and added 12 goals for England, taking his reported club-and-country tally to 73 goals in 65 appearances.

His performances helped Bayern maintain their domestic success, while his international contributions strengthened his case for football’s leading individual honour.

Kane also became the first Englishman to win the men’s Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001, ending a 25-year wait for an English winner.

Mbappé finished second after another productive campaign for Real Madrid, while Yamal placed third following his impressive contributions for Barcelona.

Men’s Ballon d’Or: Top 10 Rankings and Player Statistics

1. Harry Kane — Bayern Munich and England

Kane topped the men’s rankings after a season defined by goalscoring consistency. He scored 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich across all competitions, including 36 Bundesliga goals. His 12 goals for England brought his reported total to 73 goals for club and country.

2. Kylian Mbappé — Real Madrid and France

Mbappé finished second after scoring 42 goals in 44 club appearances across all competitions, according to the supplied season report. His reported tally included 25 La Liga goals and 15 Champions League goals.

3. Lamine Yamal — Barcelona and Spain

Yamal secured third place after recording 24 goals and 17 assists for Barcelona across all competitions. The supplied report also credits him with creating 118 chances, including 107 from open play, highlighting his influence beyond goalscoring.

4. Rodri Hernández — Manchester City and Spain

Rodri finished fourth after being recognised for his passing and midfield influence. The supplied report credits him with completing 756 passes at the World Cup, alongside 122 line-breaking passes, and winning the tournament’s Golden Ball. These tournament statistics should be checked against the relevant official records before publication.

5. Lionel Messi — Inter Miami and Argentina

Messi placed fifth after another productive period with Inter Miami and Argentina. The supplied report credits him with 29 goals and 23 assists in 30 MLS appearances, alongside 13 goals and seven assists in 14 appearances for Argentina during the stated qualifying period.

6. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — Paris Saint-Germain and Georgia

Kvaratskhelia finished sixth after contributing 19 goals and 10 assists for Paris Saint-Germain across all competitions. His reported 29 goal contributions were complemented by an average of 2.7 successful take-ons per 90 minutes in Ligue 1.

7. Ousmane Dembélé — Paris Saint-Germain and France

Dembélé occupied seventh place after recording 20 goals and 11 assists in 40 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain across all competitions. His 31 reported goal contributions underlined his attacking productivity during the campaign.

8. Erling Haaland — Manchester City and Norway

Haaland finished eighth after scoring 27 Premier League goals, according to the supplied report. The article also credits him with 20 goals in 12 international appearances for Norway during the 2025/26 season. The competition and timeframe for those international figures should be confirmed before publication.

9. Michael Olise — Bayern Munich and France

Olise placed ninth after registering 22 goals and 26 assists in 52 appearances for Bayern Munich across all competitions. His reported 48 goal contributions included six Champions League assists, while the supplied report also credits him with seven assists for France at the World Cup.

10. Fabián Ruiz — Paris Saint-Germain and Spain

Ruiz completed the men’s top 10 after scoring two goals and providing five assists in 34 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain across all competitions. The supplied report also says he featured in all eight of Spain’s World Cup matches and scored in the quarter-final against Belgium. These details require confirmation against official tournament records.

Alexia Putellas Wins the Women’s Ballon d’Or

Putellas claimed the women’s award for the third time, having previously won it in 2021 and 2022. Her recognition followed a strong campaign with Barcelona, during which she contributed goals and assists while helping the team achieve success in domestic and European competitions.

She finished ahead of Ewa Pajor and Khadija Shaw in the final rankings. Putellas was also named the UEFA Women’s Champions League Player of the Season after recording seven goals and seven assists in Barcelona’s successful European campaign.

Although she won the award while associated with Barcelona, Putellas joined London City Lionesses ahead of the 2026/27 season. Her ranking therefore reflects the award period rather than simply her current club affiliation.

Women’s Ballon d’Or: Top 10 Rankings and Player Statistics

1. Alexia Putellas — Barcelona/London City Lionesses and Spain

Putellas topped the women’s rankings after recording 25 goals and 14 assists across the listed club and international competitions, according to the supplied report. Her Champions League contribution included seven goals and seven assists.

2. Ewa Pajor — Barcelona and Poland

Pajor finished second after a prolific season in front of goal. The supplied report credits her with 33 goals and seven assists during the 2025/26 campaign, including 11 Champions League goals and two in the final.

3. Khadija Shaw — Manchester City and Jamaica

Shaw secured third place after scoring 39 goals and providing nine assists during the campaign, according to the supplied report. Her Women’s Super League record included 21 goals in 22 appearances and four assists.

4. Melchie Dumornay — OL Lyonnes and Haiti

Dumornay finished fourth after recording 21 goals and 12 assists in 36 appearances, according to the supplied season assessment. The supplied league figures also credit her with four goals and seven assists in 15 appearances.

5. Patri Guijarro — Barcelona and Spain

Guijarro placed fifth after contributing to Barcelona’s successful season. The supplied report highlights the club’s four trophies, including the Women’s Champions League and Liga F. A consolidated, verified total for her goals and assists across all competitions was not provided.

6. Caroline Graham Hansen — Barcelona and Norway

Graham Hansen finished sixth after recording 18 goals and 16 assists during the 2025/26 season, according to the supplied report. She was also credited with leading Liga F in assists and contributing to Barcelona’s trophy-winning campaign.

7. Pernille Harder — Bayern Munich and Denmark

Harder occupied seventh place after reportedly scoring 34 goals and providing 14 assists during the season. She also helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup, according to the supplied report.

8. Clàudia Pina — Barcelona and Spain

Pina finished eighth after registering 32 goals and nine assists during the campaign, according to the supplied report. Her contributions formed part of Barcelona’s success in the Champions League, Liga F, Copa de la Reina and Spanish Super Cup.

9. Alessia Russo — Arsenal and England

Russo placed ninth after scoring 29 goals and providing nine assists in 50 appearances, according to the supplied report. Her Women’s Super League figures included 13 goals and six assists in 22 appearances.

10. Temwa Chawinga — Kansas City Current and Malawi

Chawinga completed the women’s top 10 after earning recognition for her performances with Kansas City Current and the Malawi national team. The supplied report did not provide a consistent, verified total for her goals and assists across all competitions during the award period.

Full Men’s Ballon d’Or Rankings: 11th Onwards

The remaining men’s rankings included players from several leading European clubs, alongside established international performers. The official rankings list the following players from 11th place onwards.

11. Jude Bellingham — Real Madrid and England
12. Pau Cubarsí — Barcelona and Spain
13. Achraf Hakimi — Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco
14. Vitinha — Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal
15. Declan Rice — Arsenal and England
16. Ferran Torres — Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain and Spain
17. Vinícius Júnior — Real Madrid and Brazil
18. Marc Cucurella — Chelsea/Real Madrid and Spain
19. João Neves — Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal
20. Willian Pacho — Paris Saint-Germain and Ecuador
21. Gabriel — Arsenal and Brazil
22. Lautaro Martínez — Inter Milan and Argentina
23. Nuno Mendes — Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal
24. Luis Díaz — Bayern Munich and Colombia
25. Marquinhos — Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil
26. Dayot Upamecano — Bayern Munich and France
27. Bruno Fernandes — Manchester United and Portugal
28. Julián Quiñones — Al-Qadsiah and Mexico
29. Sadio Mané — Al-Nassr and Senegal
30. William Saliba — Arsenal and France

Editorial note: The official rankings page lists Sadio Mané and William Saliba at 29th, rather than assigning William Saliba a separate 30th position. Club affiliations above follow the official rankings where they differ from the supplied article.

Full Women’s Ballon d’Or Rankings: 11th Onwards

The women’s rankings also featured a broad range of international talent, including players from Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Barcelona and several other clubs.

11. Yui Hasegawa — Manchester City and Japan
12. Klara Bühl — Bayern Munich and Germany
13. Mariona Caldentey — Arsenal and Spain
14. Wendie Renard — OL Lyonnes and France
15. Cata Coll — Barcelona and Spain
16. Mapi León — Barcelona/London City Lionesses and Spain
17. Esmee Brugts — Barcelona and the Netherlands
18. Barbra Banda — Orlando Pride and Zambia
19. Tessa Wullaert — Inter Milan/Como and Belgium
20. Selma Bacha — OL Lyonnes and France
21. Scarlett Camberos — Club América and Mexico
22. Manaka Matsukubo — North Carolina Courage/Chelsea and Japan
23. Momoko Tanikawa — Bayern Munich and Japan
24. Kerstin Casparij — Manchester City and the Netherlands
25. Caroline Weir — Real Madrid/OL Lyonnes and Scotland
26. Alex Greenwood — Manchester City and England
27. Rose Lavelle — Gotham FC and the United States
28. Lorena — Kansas City Current and Brazil
29. Melvine Malard — Manchester United/Chelsea and France
30. Vivianne Miedema — Manchester City and the Netherlands

Editorial note: The official rankings page lists Lorena, Melvine Malard and Vivianne Miedema at 28th. The source therefore does not show separate 29th and 30th positions for these players.

What the 2026 Ballon d’Or Rankings Tell Us

Kane’s victory was one of the biggest talking points of the ceremony, with his 73 reported goals for club and country providing a clear statistical measure of his season. His position ahead of Mbappé and Yamal also placed him at the centre of the men’s individual awards conversation.

Putellas’ third women’s Ballon d’Or added another major honour to her career. Her recognition came after a campaign in which she contributed significantly to Barcelona’s domestic and European achievements.

The rankings also demonstrate the breadth of talent across the men’s and women’s games. From prolific forwards to creative midfielders and influential defenders, the lists recognise a range of contributions rather than goals alone.

For readers following the awards, the complete rankings provide a snapshot of how the jury placed the leading players after the 2025/26 season. Individual statistics help explain the context behind each campaign, while the official positions remain the definitive record of the final results.