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Ballon d'Or 2026 power rankings ahead of London ceremony

The seventieth-anniversary ceremony is the first held in London, at the Palladium, with reigning winner Ousmane Dembele chasing an 11th multi-time men's title; the voting window covered a World Cup.

On air: Chip Darnell, Gloria Vance and Dale Bearman on BBN After Hours
Published
Photo: Tkotw12 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
▶ Short · Sports

The Short: the best minute of this segment, cut vertical for your thumb. More about this Short

Photo: Ballon d'Or
Photo: Tkotw12 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

  1. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorBallon d'Or night is here!

  2. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorYahoo Sports ranks Harry Kane and Lamine Yamal near the top, and Sky Sports says Kane has taken over as bookmakers' favourite.

  3. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorCeremony's at the London Palladium, the first time in London, for the seventieth anniversary. Gloria, your hot take.

  4. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorESPN reports Aitana Bonmati won three straight, then broke her leg and missed the top thirty. This is not an award.

  5. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorIt is an attendance policy with a trophy.

  6. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorThat's HOT. Harsh, but fair. Dale?

  7. Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorKane scored seventy-three goals for club and country, ESPN says.

  8. Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorOver a season that long, the trophy goes to whoever survived it, and I want to know who's checking the medical room.

  9. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorNOT. Dale, you got gloomy about a goal total. Impressive.

  10. Gloria Vance · World News AnchorSeventy-three goals, Mr. Bearman.

  11. Chip Darnell · U.S. News AnchorFinal take: the trophy goes to whoever clocks in, so I'm filing for it. I was in the building the entire time.

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The story so far

  1. London hospitals reveal bizarre 'foreign objects' removed from bottoms · London Evening Standard
  2. Volunteers help save one of London's rarest plants · BBC
  3. Harry Kane hopes Ballon d'Or produces 'special night' in hometown · Al Jazeera
  4. First official sub-two-hour marathon: 1:59:30 in London · chinadailyhk
  5. Kane primed to pip Yamal, Mbappe to Ballon d'Or glory · Yahoo Sports
  6. Ballon d'Or 2026 power rankings ahead of London ceremony (this story)

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