The name of the winner of the “Golden Ball“ for 2026 remains hidden until the last moment. The ceremony for the 70th edition of the award will be held on Monday night at the London Palladium in London, and among the main contenders are Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Ousmane Dembele. For the first time, the event leaves the “Chatelle“ theater in Paris. The official organizer confirmed that the ceremony will be in London, without revealing the winner in advance.
According to the former head of the award, Pascal Feret, no more than five people know the result. "From 2024, the winners are no longer informed in advance of their fate and everyone is treated equally," Ferre told RMC. He said the nominees will arrive at the ceremony on equal terms, without any of them knowing whether they will lift the trophy.
The rules have changed since the Messi and Ronaldo era
Ferre explained that the decision to keep the winner a secret until the last moment was taken after the period in which Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the award. He added that in the past he used an unusual method against leaks: he left fake rankings in the editorial office of “France Football“ to fuel speculation on social media.
This year, the tension is also heightened by the public campaign of some of the candidates. Kylian Mbappe has repeatedly defended his chances in media appearances and at press conferences at „Real“.
„When you play for „Real“ Madrid, the best club in the world, you are inevitably linked to these awards“, says Mbappe. The French striker adds that he made history in the summer in the most important competition, but the decision on who is the best player remains personal for everyone.
However, Ferre reminds us that the decision is in the hands of the journalists on the jury. „I don't know if such a campaign is a problem, but I'm not sure it's the right approach. Who do we have to convince? Not the fans, but the jury members“, he says.
The candidates and the fake rankings
Harry Kane enters the race with 73 goals this season, 61 of which for “Bayern“. In the Champions League, the English striker has scored 14 times in 13 matches.
Lamin Yamal has been elected the best player in the Spanish championship for the 2025/2026 season, after scoring 16 goals. The strongest argument in his candidacy is the world title with Spain.
Meanwhile, photos of allegedly leaked WhatsApp conversations with Vincent Garcia, editor-in-chief of “France Football“ are being circulated on the social network X. They are claimed to show the preliminary results. Tables with different rankings also appear, in which Mbappe or Kane are in first place, respectively.
A source quoted by RMC defines these publications as impossible, but describes them as part of the usual hype before the ceremony. The winner will be announced in London, and until then none of the online versions have been confirmed.
Sources: goal.com, leparisien.fr