Lamine Yamal holds off Kane and Mbappe in Kooora’s Ballon d’Or poll

Lamine Yamal has been chosen as the leading contender for the Ballon d’Or in a poll of 15 Kooora editors, finishing ahead of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe.

Yamal collected 195 points in the vote, with Kane second on 162 and Mbappe third on 116. Lionel Messi was fourth with 45 points, followed by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on 22 and Fabian Ruiz on 15.

The result comes shortly before the official Ballon d’Or winner is announced on Monday, when the award’s organisers will end speculation over who has been judged the outstanding player of the year.

Kooora’s poll was designed to reflect the scoring system used for the main prize. Each editor selected three players in order, with 15 points awarded for first place, 12 for second and 10 for third.

That meant the final standings were based on the overall points total rather than simply the number of first-place selections. A player could therefore strengthen his position through frequent second- and third-place votes, even without leading the first-choice count.

Yamal received seven of the 15 first-place votes, the highest number among the candidates. Kane appeared most often in second place, helping him build the second-highest total, while Mbappe remained among the main contenders after collecting votes across all three positions.

Messi was included in the selections of several editors, while Kvaratskhelia and Ruiz received fewer points in the final ranking.

The Ballon d’Or, presented by France Football, is regarded as one of football’s most prestigious individual awards. Its assessment extends beyond goals and trophies, taking into account individual performances, a player’s contribution to his team, collective achievements and his overall profile during the period under consideration.

The 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or nominees were announced on 8 September 2026, adding to the debate over which player should receive the award. Differences in individual judgement can produce contrasting choices even when voters have watched the same competitions and considered the same results.

Kooora’s final order reflects the opinions of the editors who took part in the exercise and is not an official result or a definitive indication of the eventual winner. The announcement on Monday will provide the formal outcome and reveal who receives the Ballon d’Or.