Ousmane Dembele was presented with the Ballon d'Or for 2025 at a typically lavish ceremony in Paris on Monday night, capping a remarkable redemption at Paris Saint-Germain for a player regarded by Barcelona fans as one of the worst signings in the club's history.
Dembele's triumph meant Lamine Yamal was forced to settle for second spot but it still feels like only a matter of time before the teenage sensation claims the ultimate individual honour in football.
Truth be told, it wouldn't come as a surprise to see the winger standing on stage with the Ballon d'Or in his hands in 12 months' time, particularly as Spain are one of the favourites to win next summer's World Cup in North America.
But who else is likely to be in the running for the 2026 Ballon d'Or? GOAL runs through all of the leading contenders below…
Getty Images Sport10Cole Palmer
Cole Palmer unquestionably has an issue with consistency – but the Chelsea ace is the definition of a big-game player. After going missing for the majority of the second half of last season, he returned to form in the Europa League Conference final win over Betis before playing a starring role in his club's surprise Club World Cup success in the United States.
As a result, Palmer is a dark horse for next year's Ballon d'Or, given Chelsea are back in the Champions League and England are near-certainties to go deep at the World Cup – meaning the 23-year-old attacker is going to get even more opportunities to impress on the game's grandest stages in 2026. The big challenge for him, though, will be turning up week-in, week-out. If he can do that, he's got a shot.
AdvertisementAFP9Achraf Hakimi
As arguably the most complete defender in the game today, Achraf Hakimi would have made a very worthy winner of this year's Ballon d'Or. The Moroccan may be a right-back but he's utterly integral to Paris Saint-Germain's game plan, as one of their best ball-winners and most creative attacking outlets.
After finishing sixth this year, he obviously might never rank so highly again but it is worth noting that Morocco, who are on the verge of sealing their spot at the 2026 World Cup, are being heavily backed to win the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil in January.
Hakimi, then, could be right in contention for the 2026 Ballon d'Or before we even reach the business end of the European club season – even if the fact that he's a defender would likely count against him again.
Getty Images8Ousmane Dembele
It feels unfair to be wondering if Dembele can win back-to-back Ballons d'Or the morning after claiming his first – but it genuinely will be fascinating to see if the notoriously inconsistent winger can actually maintain his fine form for more than six months.
Remember, Dembele only really started delivering for PSG on a regular basis in 2025, after being moved into the middle of their three-pronged attack by Luis Enrique at the tail end of last year.
The Frenchman certainly has the talent to repeat and it's hugely encouraging that he finally seems to have got his head together. The only major concern, then, is his ability to stay fit for a significant period of time, so it doesn't bode well that he's presently sidelined by injury, after playing 53 games at club level alone last season…
Getty Images Sport7Vitinha
One could easily argue that Vitinha will never get a better chance to win the Ballon d'Or. He was sensational for both Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal last season, winning the treble with the former and the Nations League with the latter, but he had to settle forthird spot in this year's vote.
However, there's no reason to think that the 25-year-old Vitinha is going to suddenly stop improving. He's been an upward curve since his frustrating loan spell at Wolves and is universally regarded as one of the best midfielders on the planet.
Most importantly of all, PSG are very well-placed to retain their Champions League title, while Portugal are potential World Cup winners. In that context, it would be a surprise if Vitinha is in the Ballon d'Or conversation again in 12 months' time.