Ousmane Dembélé Ballon d'or 2025In a season where both the Champions League and the World Cup will weigh heavily in the race for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, a serious contender is already making his

Manchester City star Erling Haaland is surely preparing a response against Leeds after Kylian Mbappe took a stranglehold on the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

Mbappe captains France heading into the World Cup, and has a strong squad around him. Already the only player to score four goals in the World Cup final, he will be at the heart of France’s hopes… and of the Ballon d’Or race if they lift the trophy in July.

Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé has been included in PSG's squad for their Champions League match against Tottenham on Wednesday. Dembélé has been sidelined with a calf injury since PSG's

Arsenal: Declan Rice shows he is best midfielder in Europe on night Ballon d'Or winner 'named' - Rice has taken his game to new level and is primed for Moises Caicedo showdown

Only Messi and Ronaldo have retained the Ballon d’Or since Marco van Basten way back in the late ’80s. With all due respect to Dembele, he’s not at their level. If PSG go and retain the Champions League, it might well be another brilliant player – Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Achraf Hakimi – to get their flowers.

Dembélé won the 2025 Ballon d’Or in September off the back of 51 goals and assists in 53 appearances last season, as PSG won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France and Champions League.

Is it possible to be a quiet juggernaut? Asking for Harry Kane, who somehow is not getting the publicity of the world's best center forwards despite Ballon d'Or caliber numbers.