With less than two weeks remaining before the Ballon d’Or voting closes, several top football players are actively campaigning for the sport’s most prestigious individual award. This marks a notable shift in a team-oriented game where, until recently, the award had tended to attract limited attention outside of the presentation ceremony.

The Ballon d’Or, scheduled to be awarded on October 26, has become a prominent topic in football discussions during the early stages of the European season. Unlike previous years, there is no clear frontrunner this time, prompting candidates and their public relations teams to intensify their promotional efforts by highlighting personal achievements in a bid to secure votes.

Lamine Yamal, a 19-year-old who won the 2026 World Cup and La Liga, positioned himself as one of the two best players in the world. In an interview on Movistar Plus, Yamal expressed confidence in his candidacy, stating that he deserves the award this year based on his accomplishments. “For me, Mbappe and I, we’re the two best players in the world,” Yamal said. “I honestly think that, as the best in the world, maybe there are two of us, and this year I deserve it because of what I won.”

Kylian Mbappe, the French striker and a leading contender, underscored the award’s individual focus by emphasizing his historic achievements. Mbappe recently became the all-time top scorer in World Cup history, surpassing previous legendary figures, and was the top scorer in both the previous season’s La Liga and UEFA Champions League. “Who am I voting for? Myself,” Mbappe said, asserting his credentials as a standout candidate. Supporting his player, Paris Saint-Germain manager Jose Mourinho highlighted Mbappe’s exceptional performance at the 2026 World Cup, remarking, “We know who has made history this summer, and he’s not from PSG or the Spanish national team.”

Other notable candidates from Paris Saint-Germain include Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Fabian Ruiz, who stands out as the only player on the list to have secured both the Champions League and World Cup titles this year.

As voting nears its conclusion, the competition for the Ballon d’Or remains wide open, with candidates leveraging their individual success in an increasingly public and strategic campaign to claim football’s highest individual honor.