After months of speculation, the 2025 Ballon d'Or award was finally given out, Mohamed Salah joining a host of illustrious footballing greats to have won the award in their career.
And with it, the 2026 Ballon d'Or award race began.
Theoretically, from the moment that the 2025/2026 football season started, the 2026 Ballon d'Or race already started.
But though this was the reality, psychologically, football fans and even football players themselves didn't truly see it so until the previous season's ballon d'Or award was finally given out.
With the award given, they finally felt all shackles of the previous football season leaving them, fully embracing the new season finally.
2024/2025 was gone…
…now all eyes were on the 2025/2026 football campaign.
Who would be Mohamed Salah's successor come October 2026?
