ไทย
English
中國人
Those eager to discover the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner may reportedly be able to crack a hidden code to find out the result before the official announcement.
After months of modest remarks from Harry Kane and bold campaigning from Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé, France Football will crown soccer's best men's player at the London Palladium Theatre on Monday.
Unlike previous years, the race for the sport's most prestigious individual honor is completely open. All three frontrunners have compelling arguments both for and against them, making the 2026 Ballon d'Or battle one of the most thrilling and unpredictable in recent history.
Adding another layer of intrigue is a new puzzle making the rounds. L'Équipe journalist Loïc Tanzi revealed that a recent promotional image for the ceremony contains hidden numbers that point to the winner.
Regardez bien les chiffres. Il y a un code à déchiffrer pour connaître le vainqueur. Niveau très difficile mais pas injouable. https://t.co/MiPyDIO3Ew pic.twitter.com/81rGExogaH
"Look closely at the numbers," he wrote on X. "There is a code to decipher to find out the winner. Very difficult level but not unplayable."
Indeed, numbers can be seen surrounding the Ballon d'Or trophy in the background of the image. What those numbers signify without a cipher remains a mystery, but social media users are clearly enjoying the challenge of piecing it all together ahead of Monday's announcement.
Social Media Reacts to New Ballon d'Or Puzzle
The replies to Tanzi's post reflect the full spectrum of social media. Some users are presenting carefully constructed theories, others are attempting to decode the numbers logically, and some are simply using the opportunity to poke fun at Ballon d'Or nominees and other stars in the game.
One user turned to AI to crack the riddle, with the result suggesting Kane will claim the prize in London. The England international enjoyed a career-defining season, netting 73 goals across club and country. He guided Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title and led England to a third-place finish at the 2026 World Cup.
There's also the observation that the graphic bears a resemblance to the Bundesliga trophy.
Another user compiled evidence suggesting Mbappé could be taking home the Ballon d'Or.
The Frenchman finished the season as the leading scorer in La Liga, the Champions League, and the World Cup. However, Mbappé ended the campaign without a trophy, leaving him open to jabs such as: "There are two 0s like the number of blank years Mbappé's had at Real, I think, so Mbappé's gonna steal this Ballon d'Or."
One of the primary reasons Mbappé fell short in both La Liga and the World Cup? Lamine Yamal.
Yamal shone for Barcelona on the way to the La Liga title and the Spanish Super Cup, before steering Spain to World Cup glory in North America last summer. Should his name be called on Monday, he would become the youngest Ballon d'Or winner in history.
Beyond the three clear favorites, fans couldn't resist throwing other names into the conversation. One user spotted the number two and suggested it means Ousmane Dembélé will retain the award. The Frenchman claimed the Ballon d'Or last year and went on to help Paris Saint-Germain successfully defend both their French and European titles.
Another spotted the number four and jokingly suggested Ronald Araújo would take home the prize.
While the puzzle has no confirmed answer just yet, one thing is certain — Araújo will not be lifting the Ballon d'Or.
As for Kane, Mbappé, and Yamal? The world will find out on Monday which of these superstars gets to cement his place in soccer history.