Ballon d'Or 2027 Power Rankings: Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe make early moves to dethrone Harry Kane

In 2026-27: Four goals, six assists. Won UEFA Super Cup.

Ousmane Dembele backed up his 2025 triumph by once again placing in the Ballon d'Or's top 10 a year later, and a solid start to the season - which includes some strong showings in the Champions League - has him primed to challenge in 2027 once again.

The France international is currently sidelined with an injury, but will be back in good time to make an impact through the crucial second half of the campaign. Certainly Paris Saint-Germain will look to Dembele to step up after they lost Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to a season-ending knee injury.

In 2026-27: One goal, four assists. Won Community Shield.

There was some consternation among Arsenal fans that, despite the Gunners winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final, their highest-placed player in the final 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings, Declan Rice, only finished 15th.

That is perhaps testament to the fact that Mikel Arteta has built an elite team that isn't always reliant on individual brilliance. However, Arsenal's players will still hope to receive more individual recognition over the next 12 months, with Rice remaining at the front of the line after his excellent display against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

In 2026-27: 16 goals.

Has a player ever won the Ballon d'Or and suffered relegation in the same season?! That's certainly on the table for Erling Haaland and his Manchester City team-mates this season as they await their punishment from the Premier League for breaking numerous financial rules.

Despite that distraction, the Norwegian sharp-shooter has once again been in imperious form in front of goal thus far, and there is a chance that, if domestic survival does become an impossibility for Enzo Maresca's side, they may put Haaland and others on ice to focus on the Champions League, thus increasing their chances of European glory - and their players' hopes of earning Ballon d'Or recognition.

In 2026-27: Four goals, one assist. Won UEFA Super Cup.

It's well established now that Vitinha sets the standard for all other central midfielders to aim for in the modern game, with the Portugal international having played a key role in PSG's back-to-back Champions League successes.

The French champions are looking well primed for a three-peat, too, after statement wins over Man City and Barcelona in the league phase, and on both occasions it was Vitinha who scored stunning winners from outside the penalty area. If he keeps producing moments of magic to go with his consistent excellence, then he may well end up on the Ballon d'Or podium for the second time in three years.

In 2026-27: 14 goals, eight assists. Won DFL-Supercup.

Michael Olise finishing as low as ninth in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings came as a surprise to some following his outstanding breakout season for Bayern Munich, but as he continues to produce at a world-class level, he will almost certainly push for higher placings over the next 5-10 years.

Certainly the France playmaker is showing no signs of slowing down through the first months of the new campaign, and though he faces tough competition from within his own team for votes, expect Olise to be in the running for at least a top-10 finish in 2027.

In 2026-27: Five goals, six assists. Won UEFA Super Cup.

Desire Doue went from being the Player of the Match in the 2025 Champions League final to not even making the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, but the France forward hasn't let that disappointment get to him if the opening weeks of the season are anything to go by.

Doue produced moments of brilliance against both Man City and Barcelona in the Champions League, and with Kvaratskhelia not due back until next season, Luis Enrique will likely look to the 21-year-old to step into the Georgian's not inconsiderable shoes and be PSG's leading light come the knockout rounds.

In 2026-27: 16 goals, nine assists. Won DFL-Supercup.

The deserving winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or, Kane remains at the peak of his powers despite having turned 33 and is once again proving prolific in front of goal as Bayern begin their own Bundesliga defence.

The England captain has already produced one superb all-round display in the Champions League, too, as he showcased his full array of talents against Arsenal in the league phase, and more displays like that will put him in a strong position to become the first player since Lionel Messi in 2021 to win back-to-back Golden Balls.

In 2026-27: 16 goals, four assists.

Perhaps the most controversial omission from the 30-strong shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, Raphinha has been channelling any frustration caused by that exclusion into producing the goods for Barcelona in both La Liga and the Champions League.

The Brazil international has been utilised as a central striker by Hansi Flick following the departure of Robert Lewandowski and is thriving in his new role, meaning it would already be a huge shock if Raphinha were not back in the running for the sport's biggest individual honour in 2027.

In 2026-27: 15 goals, three assists.

Kylian Mbappe was anointed as a future Ballon d'Or winner almost as soon as he broke onto the scene as a teenager. However, as he approaches his 28th birthday, the Real Madrid forward is still waiting for his first Golden Ball.

The France captain did earn his highest-ever placing in 2026 as he finished second to Kane, and despite an indifferent start to the season for Madrid, Mbappe's match-winning brace in El Clasico suggested that he and Jose Mourinho are figuring things out at the Bernabeu as they aim to end Los Blancos' recent silverware drought.

In 2026-27: 12 goals, seven assists.

Lamine Yamal doesn't turn 20 until July, but the Barcelona winger has already finished on the Ballon d'Or podium twice, and it's already a case of 'when' rather than 'if' he will claim the Golden Ball on multiple occasions given how quickly he has established himself as one of the best players on the planet.

Once again, Yamal has been mesmerising at times in the early weeks of the season, with defenders routinely bamboozled by the Spanish teenager's quick footwork and fearless dribbling. The bookmakers' early favourite for the 2027 prize, and rightly so given what we've seen so far.