France Football confirmed their 30-player shortlist for the award last month and the final verdict will be revealed in a ceremony in Paris on October 26th.

Barcelona wing wizard Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe are the rumoured favourites to win the award for the first time.

Lamine Yamal won LaLiga and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but Pickford believes his England captain Harry Kane is in with a shout, after scoring an outrageous 61 goals and winning the 2025/26 Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich.

"I think Harry is right in the mix for it. I'd love nothing more than to see him lift the Ballon d'Or."

If Kane wins a first Ballon d'Or he will also become the first Englishman to do it since Michael Owen in 2001.