Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday night has added a fresh twist to the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings.
The Ligue 1 giants have begun the new season with a silverware after beating Arsenal in the Champions League in May.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring for PSG, before Brian Madjo levelled for Villa before the break.
Desire Doué then scored what proved to be the winner in the second half, as they lifted yet another European trophy.
PSG now have back-to-back Super Cup titles and this has strengthened the cases of their leading individual stars, according to BBC Sports.
The battle for the prestigious award remains wide open, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup also playing a major role in the voting.
Here is the current top five:
1. Harry Kane (England/Bayern Munich): Kane currently boasts the strongest statistical case. The striker scored 73 goals for Bayern Munich, as they clinched a domestic double and reached the Champions League semi-finals.
2. Ousmane Dembele (France/PSG): The reigning Ballon d’Or winner scored six World Cup goals, including a hat-trick against Norway. PSG’s dominance in France and Europe also boosts his case.
3. Lamine Yamal (Spain/Barcelona): Yamal helped Barcelona win LaLiga and the Supercopa de España. His country’s success at this year’s World Cup, has also strengthened his candidacy, despite a quieter individual tournament.
4. Rodri (Spain/Man City): The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner won the World Cup Golden Ball, after featuring in all eight of Spain’s matches. He also won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup with Manchester City, although the Premier League and Champions League remained out of reach.
5. Kylian Mbappé (France/Real Madrid): Mbappé has an impressive outing at the World Cup, scoring 10 goals and providing four assists as France finished in fourth place. He also became the first player to win the Golden Boot awards in LaLiga, Champions League and World Cup in the same calendar year. However, the lack of major team trophies has weakened his overall case.