Harry Kane Named Best Player Ahead of Ballon d’Or Ceremony

Harry Kane, the striker for Bayern Munich, has been named the best player of the 2025-2026 season in the annual Top 100 Players ranking by Spanish newspaper Marca. This announcement came just three days before the Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Kane secured the top spot in the ranking released on Friday. He was followed by Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal in second place and Kylian Mbappé from Real Madrid in third. The rankings are based on evaluations from over 200 former players, journalists, and analysts who assessed player performances for both club and country.

In the top ten, Manchester City’s Rodri ranked fourth, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Paris Saint-Germain took fifth. Lionel Messi, now with Inter Miami, was placed sixth, followed by Fabián Ruiz from Paris Saint-Germain in seventh. Michael Olise of Bayern Munich came in eighth, with Ousmane Dembélé, also from PSG, in ninth. Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí rounded out the top ten.

Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham ranked 15th, ahead of his teammate Vinícius Júnior, who was 22nd. Other notable players included Thibaut Courtois in 28th and Cristiano Ronaldo, now playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, at 33rd.

Barcelona had a strong presence in the rankings, with several players making the list. Raphinha finished 13th, Pedri was 14th, and Ferran Torres came in 17th. Paris Saint-Germain also had three players in the top ten, showcasing their talent.

Kane’s top ranking sets the stage for the upcoming Ballon d’Or ceremony, where he will compete for individual honors against other high-profile players.