4 Arsenal players who can dream of a Ballon d'Or in 2027

Yesterday’s ceremony in London ended with Harry Kane lifting football’s most prestigious individual award. Arsenal had a bit to celebrate. The club was nominated for Club of the Year, Saka won the Socrates Award for his philanthropy, and Arteta was nominated for Coach of the Year. Three of our players also made the Ballon d’Or list, with Declan Rice ranked 15th, Gabriel 21st, and William Saliba joint 29th alongside Sadio Mané.

Given the seasons they had for their club, many expected them to place higher. But 2026 was a World Cup year, and international tournament performances carried more weight than merely club form in the voting.

2027 has no World Cup. With over three months of the new season played, which Arsenal player could dream of winning it next year? 

1. Declan Rice 

England’s midfield engine and the workhorse of Arsenal’s side, Rice has been essential since the day he arrived. He has contributed 55 goals and assists for the club and is arguably the most available player in the squad, which says a lot about his reliability. Last season he was in contention for the PFA Player of the Year award but lost out to Bruno Fernandes, who broke the Premier League assist record. It’s no coincidence that he was the highest-ranked Arsenal nominee.

His World Cup was quieter than expected, but he looks fresher on the pitch this season, with 1 goal and 4 assists so far in all competitions. A back-to-back Premier League title, and potentially the Champions League for N5 for the first time, would give him the big moments a Ballon d’Or case needs.

2. Gabriel Magalhães 

The heart of the defence, Gabriel was Arteta’s “first” major signing and the one who set the foundations of his project. Alongside William Saliba, he has been part of one of the greatest defences in recent memory. His tenacity, aggression and willingness to put his body on the line are why he is so loved at Arsenal.

His penalty miss in the Champions League final may have cost him places in this year’s rankings, but he can put that right this season. Arsenal have conceded the fewest goals in this season’s Champions League and have not lost a league phase/group stage game since the November 2024 defeat to Inter Milan. The harder question is whether a centre-back can realistically win the award, as the last defender who won the trophy was Fabio Cannavaro in 2006 and, since then, Virgil Van Dijk has been the highest-placed centre-back (finished 2nd in 2019 behind Messi).  

3. Bukayo Saka 

Some say Saka has started the season relatively slowly, but he has already taken home an award from this year’s ceremony, and he has said that winning the Ballon d’Or is a personal dream. He won the prestigious Socrates Award for his humanitarian work with BigShoe, and having been in the room this year, there is no reason he can't stay there. He has already been nominated twice for the Ballon D’Or in 2023 and 2024, finishing 24th and 21st. 

Arsenal’s objective this season is to win the one trophy they have never won: the Champions League. Saka is currently sidelined with a quadriceps injury, but if he returns and delivers an unforgettable second half of the campaign, his ranking could climb. He is already an established name for England, remembered vividly for his spectacular hat-trick against France in the 2026 World Cup bronze medal match, and recently two goals against Croatia alongside Harry Kane in the previous international break. He has the tools and the fundamentals to command respect, and as Arsenal’s talisman and a natural attacker, if things fall his way, he has a real chance to climb the ranks.

4. Martin Odegaard 

A player of his mould is usually seen as the type the Ballon d’Or has traditionally loved. Ødegaard has made a decent start to the season, with four goals and an assist in 12 appearances for Arsenal. He also provided four assists in four games for Norway in the Nations League during the last international break, which shows his creativity. 

He was nominated for the 2023 Ballon d’Or after captaining Arsenal’s title challenge in 2022/23, when he scored 15 Premier League goals and added seven assists. No Arsenal central midfielder had scored that many in a league season since Fàbregas in 2009/10. He finished 28th.

If he can replicate that form, he could be back in the nominations again. Goals from midfield are what separate a player from only being a ‘very good’ creator to a Ballon d’Or contender, and that season showed he can deliver them. Pair together a respectable league tally with decisive moments in the Champions League knockouts, a captain who orchestrates a back-to-back title and a deep European run will be hard for voters to ignore. 

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