Dubai: The race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or is beginning to take shape as the club season approaches its final few weeks.Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane stands out as the leading favourite as other contenders battle for football’s most prestigious individual prize.With the World Cup still to come this summer, a tournament that traditionally plays a major role in shaping the Ballon d’Or race, the England captain will need to produce strong performances this summer if he is to become the first English winner of the award since 2001.Kane further underlined his extraordinary season with a goal in Bayern Munich’s thrilling 4-3 Champions League quarter-final win over Real Madrid, taking his tally to 51 goals in all competitions, including 17 in his last 13 matches.Harry Kane jumps to celebrate after scoring the 4-1 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart in Munich, southern Germany, on April 19, 2026.He is also closing in on a third consecutive Bundesliga Golden Boot with 32 goals to his name, while in the Champions League he has moved to 12 goals, just three behind Kylian Mbappé, who can no longer add to his total after his side’s elimination.Kane has long been a prolific scorer, but this season he has the chance to crown it with a treble as Bayern have already won the Bundesliga, and have the Champions League and DFB-Pokal to play for.Other contendersLamine Yamal is already seen as a strong contender to win multiple Ballon d’Or awards in the future, and 2026 could mark the moment he claims the first of them.Despite Barcelona’s exit from the Champions League, Lamine Yamal continues to post outstanding numbers, reaching 100 goal contributions in just 150 appearances after scoring against Atletico Madrid.This season alone, he has registered 41 goals and assists in 44 matches, underlining his rapid rise at the top level.Lamine Yamal reacts during the UEFA Champions League quarter final second leg football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on April 14, 2026.While the quarter-final disappointment will sting, Barcelona remain firmly in the hunt for the league title to go alongside their Supercopa de España triumph.Yamal will then shift his attention to the international stage, where he will look to lead Spain’s charge at the World Cup after already starring at Euro 2024 as a 16-year-old.Michael Olise is another contender, the Frenchman has taken his game to another level since his summer move from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich, where he has already recorded an impressive 47 goal involvements in 42 appearances across three competitions.Michael Olise celebrates scoring the 4-3 goal with his teammates during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in Munich, southern Germany, on April 15, 2026.His flair, vision and creativity have stood out throughout the season, with 29 assists leaving him just three short of the single-season record in Europe’s top five leagues, currently shared by Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Xavi and Lionel Messi (32). On current form, that milestone looks well within reach.Alongside Kane, Olise remains central to Bayern’s push for a historic treble, while also carrying ambitions of international success with France at the World Cup this summer.Harry Kane to Saudi? Bayern chief says “you never know”Saudi Pro League eyeing move for Ballon d'Or winner