Yamal, Kane or Mbappe? The Golden Ball hasn't been this uncertain in years! Nor was the player's self-promotion greater...

The 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on Monday evening at the London Palladium theatre, marking the first time the prestigious football award has been presented outside of France. The gala begins at 21:00 Central European Time, coinciding with a rescheduled match between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon, which was moved from Sunday to Monday night due to public order concerns related to demonstrations in Paris. The location change serves as a tribute to Stanley Matthews, the English forward who became the inaugural recipient of the award in 1956. France Football, the magazine that established the prize, has organized the event in collaboration with UEFA since 2024. The main men’s category features thirty nominees, with Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal, and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé widely considered the leading contenders. Analysts describe this edition as one of the most uncertain in recent years, noting that no single candidate holds a decisive advantage over the others. The voting process involves international sports journalists from the 100 highest-ranked nations according to the FIFA world rankings for the men’s award, while representatives from the top 50 ranked countries vote for the women’s award. Each journalist selects ten players from the nominee list, assigning points based on placement, with the winner determined by the total score. In the event of a tie, the player with more first-place votes prevails. Harry Kane enters the ceremony as a primary favorite after scoring 65 goals in 73 appearances for both his club and country during the qualifying period. He views winning the award as a crown on a fantastic season, though he expressed that achieving competitive success with England would be a greater honor, referencing the national team’s last World Cup victory in 1966. Lamine Yamal, who finished second in the previous year’s voting, has stated his hope to win this time around. At 19 years old, the Spanish winger won the World Cup, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup, although critics point out that his performance in major knockout competitions was less dominant, including eliminations in the Champions League and Copa del Rey against Atletico Madrid. His statistics include 25 goals and 22 assists in 57 matches across club and international duty. Kylian Mbappé has publicly declared that he believes he deserves the trophy, citing his status as the top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League, and the 2026 World Cup. The Frenchman scored ten goals in the tournament held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history at age 27. However, his candidacy lacks collective trophies, a factor that weighs heavily given the award’s criteria prioritize individual performance, team success, and class. Despite this, historical precedents exist for winners who did not lift a major trophy during the relevant period. Other notable candidates include Rodri, who won the 2024 award and captained Spain to the World Cup title, though his season was interrupted by injury. Fabian Ruiz, who achieved domestic and international success with Spain and his club, is seen as underappreciated despite his achievements. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Paris Saint-Germain is also a contender, having played a key role in the club’s European campaign, though he recently suffered a serious knee injury. Lionel Messi, who is approaching his fortieth birthday, received another nomination after guiding Argentina to the World Cup final. While some view a potential win for him as a career achievement award rather than a reflection of seasonal dominance, analysts acknowledge his continued influence. The ceremony will also distribute awards for best female player, goalkeeper, young player, coach, forward, and club, alongside the Socrates Award for social responsibility. Former French international Thierry Henry and presenter Kate Scott will host the event. Last year’s men’s winner was Ousmane Dembele, who celebrated a treble with Paris Saint-Germain, while Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona took the women’s prize. This year, Alexia Putellas is favored to win the women’s award after her successful tenure at Barcelona before moving to London. The voting period covers performances from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, meaning the 2026 World Cup finals, concluded with Spain defeating Argentina, are included in the evaluation. The selection of nominees was made by representatives from France Football and L’Equipe, assisted by former jury members and UEFA ambassadors. The atmosphere surrounding the event is noted for increased self-promotion by players, with Mbappé making direct appeals to voters and expressing disappointment if he does not win. Such comments caused tension with Dembele, whom Mbappé referred to dismissively as merely one of the talents from the 1998 generation. Marcus Thuram, a friend of both, attempted to mediate the dispute. The diversity of arguments among the top candidates has divided public opinion, ensuring that the outcome remains highly unpredictable until the final tally is announced.