Messi, Mbappe, Yamal or Kane? Who Are Former Stars Backing for the Ballon d’Or?

The voting for the 2026 Ballon d’Or has already been completed, but the winner will not be revealed until October 26 in London. In the meantime, former stars and prominent figures from football have been revealing their preferred candidates, adding even more excitement to the race.

Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Lionel Messi are among the most talked-about names, alongside last year’s winner Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise, Rodri and Vinicius Junior.

Henry and Roberto Carlos Back Mbappe

Thierry Henry has offered one of the strongest endorsements for Kylian Mbappe. The former France forward has picked Mbappe as his personal choice, pointing to his goalscoring record across the Champions League, La Liga and the World Cup.

Henry’s second choice is another Frenchman, Michael Olise. He is less convinced by Lamine Yamal’s chances, with the youngster’s injury during the World Cup affecting his view of the Barcelona star’s campaign.

Brazilian Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos has also named Mbappe as his preferred candidate.

Former France defender and Barcelona player Samuel Umtiti has also said he would vote for Mbappe, citing the forward’s outstanding club and international season.

Former Ballon d’Or winner Michael Owen also believes Mbappe has a strong chance, highlighting his individual numbers and World Cup performances.

Ibrahimovic and Eto’o Support Yamal

Lamine Yamal has received backing from Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Speaking to ESPN at an event in New York, Ibrahimovic said he would like to see the Ballon d’Or go to the Barcelona forward.

Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o is also backing Yamal. The former Barcelona striker previously described Yamal as the “Ballon d’Or of our hearts” while wishing him well on social media.

Yamal finished second in last year’s Ballon d’Or voting and produced another impressive campaign in 2025–26, registering 25 goals and 20 assists in 57 appearances for Barcelona and Spain.

Former England Stars Back Kane

Harry Kane has also attracted significant support from former football stars. Rio Ferdinand has strongly backed the England captain, pointing to his 73 goals and status as England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer.

German legend Jurgen Klinsmann is another supporter of Kane, while 1990 Ballon d’Or winner Lothar Matthaus also considers him a leading candidate.

Matthaus highlighted Kane’s goalscoring contribution to Bayern Munich’s domestic double, England’s run to the World Cup semi-finals and his influence as a role model.

Former France captain Hugo Lloris, who played alongside Kane at Tottenham, has also said the striker can win the Ballon d’Or.

Kane scored 73 goals for club and country in the 2025–26 season, the second-highest total in European club football in a single season behind Lionel Messi’s 82.

Beckham and Cech Back Messi

Despite being 39, Lionel Messi remains firmly in the conversation. Inter Miami co-owner and former England star David Beckham has backed Messi for a ninth Ballon d’Or after his World Cup performance.

Messi helped Argentina reach their second consecutive World Cup final and finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists.

Former Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech also considers Messi a contender and believes the Argentine still has a strong chance.

Ultimately, the winner will be decided by the votes of 100 journalists, with the result set to be announced in London on October 26.

Until then, the former stars’ choices have made one thing clear: the 2026 Ballon d’Or race involving Messi, Mbappe, Yamal and Kane is shaping up to be a fascinating one.