LONDON — The eyes of the footballing world turn to London this Monday as the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony promises to be one of the most unpredictable in the award’s storied history. For the first time, the event—established by France Football—is being hosted on English soil, a nod to the inaugural winner, Sir Stanley Matthews. The occasion carries added weight for the home crowd, as England captain Harry Kane stands on the precipice of becoming the first English recipient of the trophy in a quarter-century.
Kane enters the glitzy ceremony as the bookmakers’ favorite, following a staggering campaign in which he netted 73 goals in just 65 appearances for Bayern Munich and England. His efforts secured a domestic double in Germany and powered the Three Lions to a World Cup semi-final. Despite his prolific output, the 33-year-old admits the anticipation is agonizing. “I’d love to be able to achieve something like that. It would be a massive milestone in my career,” Kane said, though he acknowledged the pressure of the secrecy surrounding the vote. “I think my wife would prefer to know… it’s very stressful for everyone.”
However, Kane’s path to the golden trophy is far from guaranteed. While his goal tally is historic, his exit at the semi-final stage in both the Champions League and the World Cup leaves room for challengers to make their case based on silverware and individual impact.
Among those challengers is Barcelona’s teenage sensation, Lamine Yamal. Despite missing the tail end of his club season due to a hamstring injury, the 19-year-old remains unapologetically confident. “For me, Mbappe and me, we’re the two best players in the world,” Yamal declared last month. “I honestly think that… this year I would deserve it because of what I’ve won.”
Kylian Mbappe, meanwhile, presents a different argument. The 27-year-old French superstar enjoyed a record-breaking year, finishing as the top scorer in La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup. His haul of 10 goals in the latest tournament made him the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals. While he lacks a major trophy to show for his efforts this year, his individual dominance remains peerless. When asked who he would vote for, Mbappe was unequivocal: “Myself.”
The winner is determined by a panel of football journalists from the top 100 nations in FIFA’s rankings, who assign points to a 30-man shortlist. Beyond the prestige of the golden ball, the award acts as a catalyst for massive commercial bonuses and brand value.
In the women’s category, Alexia Putellas is positioned to reclaim her crown. The 2021 and 2022 winner, now with the London City Lionesses, is the favorite to end Aitana Bonmati’s three-year reign, facing stiff competition from former Barcelona teammate Ewa Pajor. As the red carpet unfurls in London, the debate remains as fierce as ever: will it be Kane’s historic scoring, Yamal’s youthful ambition, or Mbappe’s record-breaking consistency? The football world waits.
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