Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal among 30 nominees for Ballon d’Or 2026
The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or have been announced, with Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and defending champion Ousmane Dembele among the biggest names in contention for football’s most prestigious individual honour.
The 30-man shortlist features a strong presence of Paris Saint-Germain, with the French champions having 10 nominations. Real Madrid has four representatives, Barcelona and Bayern Munich also have several players in the running.
Kane enters the race after a remarkable campaign in which he scored 73 goals for club and country. Mbappe, meanwhile, remains among the front-runners after another prolific season, while Yamal continues to establish himself as one of world football’s biggest stars.
Dembele will look to retain the award he won in 2025, although he faces competition from several PSG teammates, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Lionel Messi also returned to the shortlist after his performances for Argentina at the World Cup. However, there is no place for Cristiano Ronaldo, meaning the Portuguese star is still missing from the Ballon d’Or contenders.
PSG’s dominance is one of the main stories from this year’s list, with their nominees including Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha and Willian Pacho. 30 players were nominated for the Ballon d’Or. (Image: Screengrab from X/@ballondor)
MEN’S NOMINATIONS IN THE BALON D’OR D’OR
- Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid
- Pau Cubarsi, Barcelona
- Marc Cucurella, Chelsea/Real Madrid
- Ousmane Dembele, Paris Saint-Germain
- Luis Diaz, Bayern Munich
- Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United
- Gabriel, Arsenal
- Erling Haaland, Manchester City
- Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain
- Harry Kane, Bayern Munich
- Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Paris Saint-Germain
- Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
- Sadio Mane, Al Nassr
- Marquinhos, Paris Saint-Germain
- Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan
- Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid
- Nuno Mendes, Paris Saint-Germain
- Lionel Messi of Inter Miami
- Joao Neves, Paris Saint-Germain
- Michael Olise, Bayern Munich
- Willian Pacho, Paris Saint-Germain
- Julian Quinones, Al Qadsiah
- Declan Rice, Arsenal
- Rodri, Manchester City/Barcelona
- Fabian Ruiz, Paris Saint-Germain
- William Lintasa, Arsenal
- Ferran Torres, Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain
- Dayot Upamecano, Bayern Munich
- Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid
- Vitinha, Paris Saint-Germain
YAMAL CHASES KOP HISTORY
Yamal has another piece of history in sight get nominated for the Kopa Trophy, awarded to the best under-21 player in world football.
The Barcelona star has won the award in each of the last two editions and could make it a treble if he retains the award in 2026.
Pau Cubarsi and Warren Zaire-Emery are among the other high-profile candidates on a list loaded with new talent from across Europe.
Nomination for the Young Talent of the Year 2026 award for men
Kerim Alajbegs
Ayyoub Bouaddi
Pau Cubars
Yan Diomand
Lennart Karl
read Junior Croup
Lamine Yamal
Johan Manzambi
Ibrahim Maza
Warren Zare-Emery #ballondor pic.twitter.com/pQCe6SwtRZ— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026
NOMINATIONS FOR KOPA TROPHY 2026
- Kerim Alajbegovic, RB Salzburg/Juventus
- Ayyoub Bouaddi, Lille/Manchester City
- Pau Cubarsi, Barcelona
- Yan Diomande, RB Leipzig/Real Madrid
- Lennart Karl, Bayern Munich
- Eli Junior Kroupi, Bournemouth
- Lamine Yamal, Barcelona
- Johan Manzambi, Aston Villa
- Ibrahim Maza, Bayer Leverkusen
- Warren Zaire-Emery, Paris Saint-Germain
YASHIN TROPHY
The Yashin Trophy race will also have a new winner after 2025 champion Gianluigi Donnarumma failed to make the shortlist.
Thibaut Courtois, Joan Garcia and David Raya are among the leading names in contention, while Emiliano Martinez and Unai Simon also feature in the 10-man list.
NOMINATIONS 2026 YASHIN TROPHY
- Yassine Bounou, Al Hilal
- Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid
- Gregor Kobel, Borussia Dortmund
- Joan Garcia, Barcelona
- Edouard Mendy, Al Ahli
- Emiliano Martinez, Aston Villa/Chelsea
- David Raya, Arsenal
- Vozinha, Chaves/Colo-Colo
- Unai Simon, Athletic Club
- Matvey Safonov, Paris Saint-Germain
2026 WOMEN’S YASHIN TROPHY NOMINATIONS
- Ann-Katrin Berger, Gotham FC
- Cata Coll, Barcelona
- Lorena, Kansas City Current
- Hannah Hampton, Chelsea
- Ayaka Yamashita, Manchester City
COACH OF THE YEAR NOMINATION
The Johan Cruyff Trophy will feature five of the biggest names in football management, with the Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and international football represented on the shortlist.
Among the nominees are Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany and Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique, alongside Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Spain boss Luis de la Fuente.
Nominated for 2026 Men’s Coach of the Year
Mikel Arteta – Arsenal
Luis de la Fuente – Spanish National Team
Unai Emery – Aston Villa
Vincent Kompany – Bayern Munich
Luis Enrique – Paris-SG pic.twitter.com/R6QOpW9j9l— Ballon d’Or (@ballondor) September 8, 2026
NOMINATION 2026 MEN’S COACH OF THE YEAR
- Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
- Luis de la Fuente, Spanish national team
- Unai Emery, Aston Villa
- Vincent Kompany, Bayern Munich
- Luis Enrique, Paris Saint-Germain
THE CEREMONY IS GOING TO LONDON
The year 2026 will also mark a historic change for the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
For the first time since 2019, the event will move outside the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris. The ceremony will instead be held in London, with the choice of venue paying tribute to Stanley Matthews, the inaugural Ballon d’Or winner in 1956.
The winners will be announced on October 26 at London’s Palladium, marking the first time the ceremony has been held in the English capital.
With the field wide open for the men’s award, Yamal chasing a historic Kopa hat-trick and a new Yashin Trophy winner guaranteed, the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony promises to have no shortage of headline stories.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
08 Sep 2026 21:30 IST