The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or have been unveiled, with 30 of the world’s leading footballers shortlisted for the prestigious Men’s Player of the Year award.
The nominations recognise players who delivered outstanding performances and made significant contributions for their clubs and national teams during the 2025/26 season.
Defending champion Ousmane Dembélé of Paris Saint-Germain is among the nominees after a remarkable campaign in which he helped the French club win the UEFA Champions League in 2025.
The shortlist features a mix of established stars and emerging talents, including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Vinicius Jr and Lamine Yamal.
Paris Saint-Germain has a strong presence on the list, with Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Willian Pacho and Vitinha among the nominees.
Full list of 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or nominees
- Lionel Messi — Inter Miami/Argentina
- Kylian Mbappé — Real Madrid/France
- Jude Bellingham — Real Madrid/England
- Pau Cubarsí — Barcelona/Spain
- Marc Cucurella — Chelsea/Spain
- Ousmane Dembélé — Paris Saint-Germain/France
- Luis Díaz — Bayern Munich/Colombia
- Bruno Fernandes — Manchester United/Portugal
- Erling Haaland — Manchester City/Norway
- Gabriel Magalhães — Arsenal/Brazil
- Harry Kane — Bayern Munich/England
- Achraf Hakimi — Paris Saint-Germain/Morocco
- Lamine Yamal — Barcelona/Spain
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — Paris Saint-Germain/Georgia
- Marquinhos — Paris Saint-Germain/Brazil
- Sadio Mané — Al Nassr/Senegal
- Lautaro Martínez — Inter Milan/Argentina
- Nuno Mendes — Paris Saint-Germain/Portugal
- Michael Olise — Bayern Munich/France
- João Neves — Paris Saint-Germain/Portugal
- Julián Quiñones — Al Qadsiah/Mexico
- Willian Pacho — Paris Saint-Germain/Ecuador
- Declan Rice — Arsenal/England
- Rodri — Barcelona/Spain
- Ferran Torres — Paris Saint-Germain/Spain
- Dayot Upamecano — Bayern Munich/France
- William Saliba — Arsenal/France
- Vinícius Júnior — Real Madrid/Brazil
- Vitinha — Paris Saint-Germain/Portugal
