Forget Kane, Messi — Chelsea icon Gallas picks favourite to win 2026 Ballon d’Or

The winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or will be officially crowned on October 26 in London, following the 2025 edition won by Paris Saint-Germain and France star Ousmane Dembélé

Speaking on the frontrunners for the award, Gallas ruled out England captain Harry Kane and instead selected Spain sensation Lamine Yamal.

According to the former French international, Yamal stands as the primary candidate for the prestigious individual accolade off the back of his instrumental role in Spain's World Cup victory.

"Harry Kane didn’t have a great World Cup. Even if he scored goals, his World Cup was not the best. So, forget about Harry Kane winning the Ballon d’Or," Gallas told iPredicta (via Yahoo Sports).

"You have to be focused on players like Lamine Yamal, who I think is the number one favourite because he won the World Cup and his performances were good, despite having an injury at the start."

Other contenders include Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Rodri, who was named Player of the Tournament at the just-concluded World Cup.

Should Yamal win the award, he will become the youngest player in history to win the Ballon d'Or.