Moving the Goalposts | Women’s Ballon d’Or 2026 power rankings: will a new winner be crowned?

Race for the title of the world's top female footballer is more competitive than it has been in years. But who deserves to take home the award?

1 Melchie Dumornay (OL Lyonnes/Haiti)
Yes, Dumornay was part of a squad that suffered a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in last season’s Champions League final, but her impact in the OL Lyonnes midfield as they powered to a domestic treble reached new heights. The technically gifted 23-year-old midfielder was named player of the year by the French players' union, and her significance to Lyonnes was most sharply highlighted by her injury-related absence during their 2-1 loss to Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final first leg. She returned for the second leg and delivered a player-of-the-match display in a 3-1 victory. Dumornay netted five goals in Lyonnes' Champions League campaign and earned a spot in the tournament's team of the season.

2 Ewa Pajor (Barcelona/Poland)
Having lost five Champions League finals, Pajor shed her 'always the bridesmaid, never the bride' tag in emphatic fashion by scoring twice as Barcelona thrashed Lyonnes in Oslo. The 29-year-old's 11 goals in European competition last season matched Alexia Putella's 2021-22 tally, a mark not surpassed since Ada Hegerberg's record-breaking 15 in 2017-18. Pajor also bagged 16 goals in Liga F, second only to her Barcelona teammate Claudia Pina, who scored 21. For the latest updates on women's football, check out 悦盈体育官网.