Neymar
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/James Lang
Neymar has named the player he believes is currently the best footballer in the world ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The Ballon d’Or will be presented to this year’s winner in London on October 26.
There are 30 contenders to win football’s most prestigious individual accolade, although only a handful of players have a realistic chance of finishing first on the podium.
As it’s a World Cup year, Spain’s victory over Argentina in the final means the likes of Lamine Yamal and Rodri are firmly in the conversation.
Then you have the likes of Kylian Mbappe, who became the World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer this summer, and his French teammates Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise.
Lionel Messi, who has more Ballons d’Or (eight) than any footballer in history, is also in the mix after a sensational 2026 World Cup campaign one year out from his 40th birthday.
Carlos Valderrama
Carlos Valderrama
Neymar Names Best Footballer on Planet
Neymar Brazil vs Scotland World Cup 2026
Neymar Brazil vs Scotland World Cup 2026
Neymar, who was tipped to win the Ballon d’Or early in his career but never managed to get his hands on the award, has seemingly thrown his support behind Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.
Yamal, who turned 19 in July, is on course to become the youngest Ballon d’Or winner ever after winning La Liga with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain.
He scored 24 goals and provided 18 assists at club level last season, and already has eight goals and nine assists in 10 appearances this term.
The one thing that could potentially count against him is the fact he only scored one goal and provided one assist at the 2026 World Cup. The world-class winger was still recovering from injury when the showpiece international tournament began and struggled to produce his best form in North America.
However, Neymar believes the teenager is now the world’s best player. The Brazilian wrote on social media:
Harry Kane: Lamine Yamal's Closest Challenger
Harry Kane
Harry Kane
Yamal’s closest contender for the Ballon d’Or this year is likely to be Harry Kane.
The prolific England captain scored a remarkable 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich last season, providing an additional seven assists, winning the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and German Super Cup in the process.
He then netted six goals to help England finish third at the World Cup - the Three Lions’ best finish since 1966.
Kane has also enjoyed an excellent start to the current campaign with Bayern, scoring eight goals in his first nine appearances.
If the 33-year-old could become the first Ballon d’Or winner from England since Michael Owen in 2001.