The 2026 Ballon d'Or race has taken a fresh turn after Paris Saint-Germain successfully defended their Champions League title on May 30, beating Arsenal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Ousmane Dembele was the hero for PSG, scoring the equaliser in regulation time and converting the decisive penalty in the shootout after Gabriel Magalhaes missed for Arsenal.The tournament’s outcome has reshaped the Ballon d'Or standings just ahead of the World Cup in North America.

Currently, Dembele tops the rankings, followed by Arsenal captain Declan Rice, who had a solid season and won the Premier League, although he missed out on the Champions League.

Harry Kane of Bayern Munich is third, thanks to his 61-goal haul and treble win in Germany, while Lamine Yamal of Barcelona ranks fourth despite an injury-shortened season.Kylian Mbappe rounds up the top five, having had a challenging season with Real Madrid but still boasting 49 goal involvements.

With the World Cup approaching, these players are expected to be key figures for their national teams, and performances there could further influence the final Ballon d'Or outcome.