Ballon d'Or 2026: a frontrunner already emerges

In a season where both the Champions League and the World Cup will weigh heavily in the race for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, a serious contender is already making his mark.

On Wednesday night at the Parc des Princes against Tottenham Hotspur, Vitinha dazzled. The Portuguese midfielder netted a stunning hat trick (5-3) in a high-stakes clash on Matchday 5 of the Champions League. The words of London coach Thomas Frank stood out, as he envisioned a golden future for the Paris Saint-Germain star.

"By the way, Vitinha, best midfielder in the world! In my opinion, he'll be the next Ballon d'Or winner," declared the Danish coach live on TNT Sports after the match.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.