Sportsupdated 50m ago2 min read
Mbappé, Dembélé, Yamal Vie For Ballon d’Or 2026 As PR Campaigns Intensify
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Mbappé dominates media coverage for Ballon d’Or 2026 campaign. Dembélé remains most associated with the trophy amid rival campaigns.
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Campaigns for 2026 Ballon d’Or
Campaigns for the men’s Ballon d’Or prize began to whirr into action as Ousmane Dembele sat at Paris’ Theatre du Chatelet with the gold-dipped orb in hand last September. European football expert Guillem Balague said, "The Ballon d'Or has been discussed every single day," and he argued the award follows a pattern that emphasizes the individual over the collective.
French football journalist Julien Laurens added, "You can't underestimate the PR machine that some clubs and some players are going to use," as managers and sporting directors talked up their charges and questioned why others missed the 30-man shortlist. Deco branded the omissions of Barcelona pair Raphinha and Pedri a "huge scandal" but backed Lamine Yamal as an overwhelming favourite, and Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique confessed he is "bored of the Ballon d’Or."
Voting, lobbying, and voices
The Ballon d’Or shortlist drawn up by France Football and L'Equipe has been voted on by one journalist from each of the top 100 Fifa-ranked nations, and the deadline has passed with the winner already chosen.
James Kirkham, a sports brand strategist who has worked with top clubs and players including Harry Kane, said the build-up has had an election feel, adding, "You're going out, canvassing, getting your vote and making sure you shore up certain blocks from certain countries, and why wouldn't you?"
Max Eberl, Bayern Munich's board member for sport, championed Kane and Michael Olise but said the best players, external "are the ones who don't need to run a campaign".
Jean-Pierre Papin told French TV, external "I like Kylian a lot, he's a record-breaker. However, there comes a point when it's all about me, me, me and me."
Favorites, forecasts, and timing
Stratégies said Tagaday’s monitoring of 5,500 news programs broadcast by 410 TV and radio channels and 3,000 print, online, and press publications produced 118,521 media contents in 2026 for Kylian Mbappé, far ahead of Ousmane Dembélé with 68,316 and Lionel Messi with 45,748. Avisia’s forecast put Lamine Yamal at 23% chances of winning the trophy, ahead of Harry Kane (21%), Kylian Mbappé (19%), Rodri (19%), and Lionel Messi (18%).
Le Figaro said Harry Kane told CBS Sports that he is "really looking forward to being there" after the draw in the Champions League between Bayern and Arsenal ended 2-2. Le Figaro also said the outcome is on October 26, with four short days remaining before knowing the next winner of football’s most prestigious individual award.