One of the most prestigious individual awards a professional soccer player can receive is the Ballon d’Or. Since 2018, the illustrious golden ball has been granted to top performing professional soccer stars. As of late, it seems as if the award has been dominated by Spaniards, with Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí securing the award over the past 5 years. Will we witness a similar outcome? Here we will look at who GSN thinks are the top contenders for the Ballon d’Or Feminin would be.
Alexia Putellas
Having already won the award in 2021 and 2022, Putellas has emerged as one of the frontrunners for the golden ball. Her excellent play during the 2025-2026 season was on full display. From winning the UEFA Nations League title with Spain to winning the UEFA Champions League title with FC Barcelona, Putellas made the most of every outing with her previous club and country.
She even secured other notorious individual awards along the way. Putellas took home the UCWL Player of the Season and Nations League Player of the Tournament awards. Her ability to both score and create plays is top tier. It will be no surprise to see her grasp the Ballon d’Or for a third time in her stunning career, but we will have to wait and see.
Ewa Pajor
After an impressive 2025-2026 season, Pajor stands as one of the strongest cases for this year’s Ballon d’Or Feminin award. Her stellar performance with FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League demonstrates how dominant of a force she is on the field. Her goal-scoring ability was on full display as she secured 11 goals and was awarded the top scorer boot for the UWCL tournament.
Aside from this, she has a significant role in her international squad. She has helped Poland advance in World Cup qualifying matches with 3 goals. Pojar could make history as the first Polish player to win the Ballon d’Or.
Melchie Dumornay
Electric is one word that captures the nature of Dumornay’s playing style. Her dominating season with OL Lyonnes puts her name in the top section of the contenders list. Recording 9 goals and 7 assists in the Premiere League demonstrates how the offense runs through her for OL Lyonnes. Dumornay was voted Best Player in the Premiere League by her peers.
She even had an incredible run in the UCWL. Dumornay notched 5 goals and 1 assist in the tournament. Despite taking OL Lyonnes to the UCWL final, they faced a daunting blow against FC Barcelona and were shutout in a 4-0 loss. It will be hard to ignore this loss when reviewing Dumornay’s case for the Ballon d’Or, but her powerful presence on the field as an individual player should not go unnoticed.
Klara Bühl
While much of the competition is recognized for elite goal-scoring abilities, Bühl happens to be a top tier creator. Her playmaking skills and vision allow Bühl to thread some of the neatest assists. During FC Bayern Munich’s UCWL run, Bühl recorded 8 assists in her initial 6 games. This made her the tournament’s assist leader.
Even though Bühl is known for her creativity and excellent distribution skills, she has proven to add to the scoresheet. In all competitions, she has put away 8 goals for FC Bayern Munich. Alongside this, Bühl has shown she can be a difference maker. She was awarded Player of the Match in the 1-1 draw against FC Barcelona in the UCWL.
Regardless of her unconventional case for the golden ball, Bühl’s role at FC Bayern Munich is essential, and her skill set is unique on its own.
Make sure to check out the 30-player shortlist that was revealed this past Tuesday. Then, tune in for the official announcement of the Ballon d’Or winner on October 26.
Featured image via @433womenfc
_
GIRLS SOCCER NETWORK: YOUR SOURCE FOR GIRLS SOCCER NEWS