How World Cup final could be pivotal in Ballon d'Or race

How World Cup final could be pivotal in Ballon d'Or raceImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Lamine Yamal is hoping to claim the Ballon d'Or for the first time, while Lionel Messi is looking to win his ninthByAlex BrothertonBBC Sport journalistPublished3 minutes agoWhen Spain and Argentina meet in Sunday's World Cup final, the thought of lifting the famous trophy will be the only thing on the players' minds.However, the result at New York New Jersey Stadium could prove significant beyond crowning the world champions - it could effectively decide who wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or.The era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo domination may be long gone, but in recent years there has still always been a clear favourite to scoop the prize.In 2026, it is different.There are plenty of contenders, although history tells us it is difficult to take top spot without also winning the Champions League or a major international tournament in the same year.Could the World Cup final decide who will earn the award - perhaps swinging it the way of Lamine Yamal or Messi - or will the winner be someone else?In one of the tightest races in history, the decisive moment might not have happened yet.What next for England? How does Tuchel fix key problems for Euro 2028?Published21 hours agoHow coach-on-pitch Messi undid England's tactics on the flyPublished1 day agoBiggest prizes usually precede Ballon d'OrHarry Kane, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe all put up extraordinary goalscoring numbers in 2025-26, but that is only one part of the story.More often than not, a nominee needs to win a major continental or international trophy.Only four of the past 19 Ballon d'Or wins have gone to a player who did not triumph in the Uefa Champions League, World Cup, European Championship or Copa America in the same year.Messi accounts for three of those (2010, 2012, 2019) and Ronaldo the other (2013).Rightly or wrongly, that means the odds are stacked against Kane...