French magazine "France Football" has revealed the official list of nominees for the Ballon d'Or award for the best player in the world for 2026, which includes 30 names from the most prominent global football stars.
The 70th edition of the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony is scheduled to be hosted by the British capital, London, on Monday, October 26, 2026, amidst strong competition among a large number of players who have delivered outstanding performances throughout the year.
The list included Argentine star Lionel Messi, player for American club Inter Miami, continuing his presence among the nominees for the award. The most surprising inclusion was Mexican player Julián Quiñones, striker for Saudi club Al-Qadsiah, among the contenders for the global award.
On the other hand, the list omitted some prominent names, most notably Barcelona duo Pedri and Raphinha, in addition to Egyptian player Mohamed Salah, who plays for Turkish club Trabzonspor.
The list of thirty nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or award is as follows:
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Pau Cubarsí – Barcelona
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Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid
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Marc Cucurella – Real Madrid
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Ousmane Dembélé – Paris Saint-Germain
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Luis Díaz – Bayern Munich
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Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United
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Gabriel Magalhães – Arsenal
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Erling Haaland – Manchester City
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Harry Kane – Bayern Munich
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Achraf Hakimi – Paris Saint-Germain
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Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Paris Saint-Germain
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Lamine Yamal – Barcelona
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Sadio Mané – Al-Nassr
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Marquinhos – Paris Saint-Germain
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Lautaro Martínez – Inter Milan
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Kylian Mbappé – Real Madrid
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Nuno Mendes – Paris Saint-Germain
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Lionel Messi – Inter Miami
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Michael Olise – Bayern Munich
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João Neves – Paris Saint-Germain
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William Pacho – Paris Saint-Germain
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Julián Quiñones – Al-Qadsiah
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Declan Rice – Arsenal
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Rodri – Barcelona
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Ferran Torres – Paris Saint-Germain
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Dayot Upamecano – Bayern Munich
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William Saliba – Arsenal
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Fabián Ruiz – Paris Saint-Germain
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Vinícius Júnior – Real Madrid
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Vitinha – Paris Saint-Germain