The world's top insider's personal choice. Fabrizio Romano names his Ballon d'Or favorites

Highly respected football insider Fabrizio Romano revealed his own version of the planet's top five players ahead of the announcement of the winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

Details: At the sidelines of the prestigious ceremony, the Italian journalist singled out three leading favorites for the season while insisting that the top five must also include the legendary Argentine forward.

“My top five? Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Mbappé, and for fourth… fifth place… Messi absolutely has to be there,” Romano told reporters.

The insider's selection fully matches the expectations of most European experts, who are tipping Bayern Munich's marksman Harry Kane, Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal or Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé to win the vote. At the same time, the inclusion of 39-year-old Lionel Messi among the top five contenders serves as a tribute to the Argentine's phenomenal longevity in football.

It is worth noting that Lionel Messi remains the outright record holder in the history of the award, having lifted the Ballon d'Or eight times. This year, the Inter Miami forward and Argentina captain once again made the final 10-man shortlist, continuing to compete with the leading representatives of football's new generation.

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