Ousmane Dembele has named Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe as his three choices for this year’s Ballon d’Or, with the award ceremony scheduled to take place on 26 October 2026.
Voting is due to begin soon, with one journalist from each of the 100 nations highest in FIFA’s men’s world rankings eligible to cast a ballot. The annual prize is strongly influenced by individual performances and team achievements, and Dembele won last year’s award after helping his club secure Ligue 1, the Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup.
Asked who he would select for the forthcoming edition, Dembele included Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Kvaratskhelia as well as Kane, who is regarded as one of the leading contenders following an outstanding campaign.
"Kvara (Khvicha Kvaratskhelia), and Harry Kane who had a very, very good season, and I thinkKylian Mbappe."
Kane has emerged as the early favourite in the race after scoring 73 goals and helping his side win both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal. The England captain also scored six goals at the World Cup and currently sits at the top of most Ballon d’Or polls.
His remarkable goalscoring record has made him one of the central figures in discussions about this year’s award. Kane has also spoken positively about his own form, describing himself as "extremely proud" of his campaign and saying it had been the “best season by far and we'll have to wait and see.”
Kylian Mbappe has also suggested that the current campaign could provide a significant opportunity for him to claim the individual honour, saying it would be a “good year” for him to win the Ballon d’Or.
Dembele’s selection does not include Lamine Yamal, despite the Barcelona forward also being widely viewed as one of the main contenders alongside Kane. Yamal scored 26 goals last season and won the World Cup and La Liga title.
That omission is likely to attract attention as the voting process approaches, particularly because Yamal’s performances and achievements have placed him among the names most frequently mentioned in the Ballon d’Or debate. Many will question why he was not included in Dembele’s personal top three.
The former Ballon d’Or winner’s choices therefore feature two of the competition’s leading favourites in Kane and Mbappe, alongside Kvaratskhelia, who was praised by his team-mate for his performances. The final result will be decided after the votes have been submitted ahead of the ceremony on 26 October 2026.