There is no official award that permanently decides who is the best soccer player in the world. The answer changes with form, achievements and the standards used to judge a player. As the 2026 Ballon d’Or approaches, the debate has again become a major talking point in football.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist includes several of the game’s biggest names, including Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, Lionel Messi and Michael Olise. The winner will be announced in London on October 26.
Dembélé enters the debate as the reigning Ballon d’Or winner
Ousmane Dembélé has a strong claim based on the previous season. The Paris Saint-Germain forward won the 2025 Ballon d’Or after playing a major role in the club’s first Champions League triumph.
He finished the 2024/25 campaign with 37 goals and 15 assists and was also named UEFA Champions League Player of the Season. Dembélé subsequently won The Best FIFA Men’s Player award for 2025, giving him recognition from both of football’s major individual award systems.
His status is particularly relevant because PSG retained the Champions League in 2025/26. UEFA’s official Team of the Season included Dembélé alongside teammates such as Vitinha, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes.
Kane’s numbers put him firmly in the conversation
Harry Kane provides a different argument. The Bayern Munich striker produced an extraordinary 2025/26 campaign, scoring 73 goals for club and country according to Reuters.
His Champions League campaign was also outstanding. Kane finished second behind Kylian Mbappé in the competition’s scoring chart with 14 goals, while Bayern reached the semi-finals.
Kane is now among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. His case is built heavily around his goalscoring output and consistency rather than a single standout tournament.
Mbappé continues to produce at the highest level
Kylian Mbappé remains another central figure in the discussion. The Real Madrid forward finished the 2025/26 Champions League season as its leading scorer with 15 goals.
He was particularly prolific during the league phase, scoring 13 times, a new record for that stage of the competition. Mbappé also became the first player to score 15 Champions League goals in a season since the competition’s format changed, although Cristiano Ronaldo’s 17-goal record from 2013/14 remains the benchmark for a single campaign.
Mbappé is again on the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist, alongside Dembélé and several other elite attackers.
Yamal represents the next generation
Lamine Yamal has also changed the conversation around the world’s best player. The Barcelona winger was second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting behind Dembélé and won the Kopa Trophy for the best young player.
His Champions League record continued to grow in 2025/26. UEFA records that Yamal became the youngest player to reach 30 appearances in the competition and also surpassed Mbappé’s previous record for Champions League goals scored before turning 19.
At his age, Yamal’s inclusion among the leading names in the Ballon d’Or discussion is significant, but his career is still developing.
So, who is the best soccer player in the world?
The evidence does not produce one objective answer. Dembélé has the strongest recent award recognition, Kane has an extraordinary goalscoring record, Mbappé has continued to dominate the Champions League scoring charts, while Yamal represents one of the most remarkable young talents in the game.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or will provide the next major official reference point, but even that award measures performance over a defined voting period rather than permanently establishing the best player in the world. For now, the debate remains open among football’s leading performers.