It’s that time of the month again, when we update our monthly Ballon d’Or rankings, and the November rankings are here.
A lot happened in the month of November. Erling Haaland carried Norway to their first FIFA World Cup in 28 years, Arsenal are looking unstoppable, Real Madrid’s form has slipped, the underdog World Champions- Chelsea are showing everyone that it wasn’t just a one-off game.
All this means the Ballon d’Or rankings have shaken up, so let’s get straight to it.
Top 10 Contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or (November)
10. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Jude Bellingham is one of those midfielders who you know could win the Ballon d’Or in a world where attackers dominate.
He has slipped down to 10th this month, given Real Madrid’s blip post El Clásico, and Xabi Alonso still seems to be figuring out what Jude Bellingham’s best role is in his Real Madrid team.
Jude already has 6 Goal Involvements in all competitions, and if Real Madrid find their form back, we can expect that number to go up and his rankings too.
9. Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain)
Vitinha has finally entered the Ballon d’Or conversations again after finishing on the Podium a couple of months back.
This guy can control the game from his feet. Thomas Frank has already made a bold claim that Vitinha will be the next Ballon d’Or winner, and he might be right.
Vitinha already has 13 Goal involvements in all competitions, including 4 Goals in the Champions League, and PSG still looks a very formidable side, and if he can carry his form in the FIFA World Cup, he might be on that Podium again.
8. Pedri (Barcelona)
Pedri is another one of those midfielders who just makes the team tick. He is the heart and soul of the Barcelona team.
It has been a slow start for Barcelona, but they are still competing on all fronts, and we can expect him to rise up the rankings if Barcelona rack up silverware in the second half of the season.
7. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
Michael Olise’s £50 million price tag looks like a steal. Olise has been scoring, assisting, and dribbling for fun, and his unarguably one of the best wingers on the planet.
Olise already has 19 Goals and assists in all competitions, and Bayern are always in the hunt for titles, which means come Ballon d’Or season, we might see Olise even higher on the list.
6. Vinicius JR. (Real Madrid)
Vini Jr has been the talk of the town in Madrid, but for all the wrong reasons. But keeping all that aside, he is still delivering on the pitch, and he still gives defenders nightmares.
12 Goals and Assists in all competitions, and he still doesn’t play as many minutes as others on this list, but if he continues his form and helps Real Madrid win another Champions League, we might see him on the Podium again.
5. Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona)
Lamine Yamal is one of those players who you know will be holding that Golden Ball trophy one day; the question is not if but when. Last year, he was really close but came in 2nd last time.
He has had a slow start from his standard and has struggled with injuries, but if he can finish the season on a high, especially in the Champions League and in the FIFA World Cup 2026, we might see a teenage Ballon d’Or winner.
4. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)
Harry Kane is one of the best, most complete strikers of this generation. He can play like a central midfielder, and he still racks up lots of Goals.
Bayern look ruthless as always, and Harry Kane is one of the main reasons why, 24 Goals in all competitions and no signs of slowing down. If he can guide Bayern to the Champions League and have a good World Cup run, the Ballon d’Or will be his.
3. Declan Rice (Arsenal)
Declan Rice is the new addition to the list. Arsenal this time looks different; they look unbeatable, and Declan Rice is at the heart of Mikel Arteta’s team.
Declan Rice seems to be all over the pitch, making last-ditch tackles or putting the ball into the final third. He does it all, and not to forget his set-piece ability, if Arsenal do cross the line this time around, Rice will be in contention for the Ballon d’Or.
2. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Erling Haaland is a goal-scoring machine; we all know that, but this season, he has taken it to another level; it’s unbelievable.
32 Goals already for Club and Country, and he is not slowing down at all. There are no off days for Erling Haaland. He has taken Norway to the World Cup after 28 years, and being there increases his Ballon d’Or chances.
Haaland has always had the goals, but Norway not being at the major international tournaments has hurt his chances. This time, we might see the Robot holding the Ballon d’Or.
1. Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)
Kylian Mbappe winning the Ballon d’Or at some point in his career seems inevitable, and it’s surprising that it has taken him this long to actually win it. But this year, the stars seem to be aligning.
Kylian has been in fantastic form this season, 23 Goals so far, and 9 of them in the Champions League, and he is doing the goalscoring for France too.
If Mbappe can carry Real Madrid and France to glory, this might be the year when he finally wins the Ballon d’Or.
