The Ballon d'Or is widely considered to be world football's most prestigious individual honour, having been awarded by a selection of football journalists on behalf of French publication France Football since 1956. 

Next Monday's announcement will crown the 70th winner of the award, which has been given out annually since its inception with the exception of a Covid-enforced cancellation in 2020. 

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is the current holder of the trophy, which has been handed to Argentina's Lionel Messi on a record eight occasions and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo a further five.

Kane is the favourite with the bookmakers ahead of Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal to win the 2026 edition, with Michael Owen (2001) the most recent of the four English players to have won the award. 

Yamal has previously insisted that he "deserves" the title for his 34 goals and 28 assists for Barcelona since the start of last season in addition to four goals in four wins for Spain during the recent UEFA Nations League window.

That flurry of strikes for Spain had seen Yamal draw level with Kane with the bookmakers before the Englishman reasserted himself with six Nations League goals of his own and another four for Bayern Munich since, taking his total since the start of last season to 71 goals and 14 assists for Bayern and 18 goals and three assists for England. 

33-year-old Kane has not offered a public opinion on who he thinks should win the Ballon d'Or, but conceded he "would be really happy to receive such an award" after what he himself described as "a great year". 

Kane also admitted it hasn't been easy to devote the entirety of his focus to his on-field efforts with the historic announcement so near. 

"I'd love to know (in advance who wins) to just kind of see and not have to wait throughout the whole night," he said on Wednesday.

"But it is their decision, I can't control that. We'll have to just enjoy it and try not to stress out too much.

"They want everyone to go, all the big names there and there will be more people watching it if they don't know, so I can understand why.

"I try not to think about it. Obviously it is hard not to. There are always rumours flying around and you try to stay away from it."

Event organisers first began keeping the winner a complete secret in 2024 - or at least tried to, with that ceremony boycotted by Real Madrid after the club learned via a leak that Vinicius Junior had been edged out by Rodri in voting. 

The Ballon d'Or gala takes place at the London Palladium Theatre on Monday night between 8pm and 10pm BST, with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi also in outside contention for what is otherwise largely considered a two-man race.