Surprises and absences: Mbappé and Messi among the Ballon d'Or nominees as Ronaldo and Raphinha miss out

French magazine "France Football", in collaboration with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), have announced the full list of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, the award handed to the best player in the world.

The nominees for the sport's most prestigious individual prize dropped on Tuesday evening. The winner will be crowned at a grand ceremony on 26 October, staged for the first time in the award's history in London.

That night will also reveal the winners of the remaining Ballon d'Or categories, including the "Yashin" award for the best goalkeeper and the "Kopa" award for the best young player, alongside prizes for best coach, best club and several others.

You can find the complete lists of nominees for all Ballon d'Or award categories here.

Leading the pack are a host of stars who lit up last season for club or at the 2026 World Cup. Chief among them: Kylian Mbappé, the Real Madrid and France star, Lionel Messi, captain of Inter Miami and Argentina, and Spanish midfielder Rodri, who has swapped Manchester City for Barcelona.

Among the other big names are Lamine Yamal, the Barcelona and Spain star, and Fabián Ruiz, who claimed both the Champions League and World Cup with Paris Saint-Germain and La Roja. Defending winner Ousmane Dembélé, the Paris Saint-Germain and France star, also features.

Two players from the Saudi Roshn Pro League make the cut: Senegal's Sadio Mané of Al-Nassr and Mexican Julián Quiñones, Al-Qadsiah's top scorer. Players from world champions Spain and European champions Paris Saint-Germain dominate the field.

Several familiar names from previous years are missing. Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Saudi side Al-Nassr and Portugal, misses out, as does Mohamed Salah, the former Liverpool and current Trabzon man who skippers Egypt.

Barcelona and Brazil star Raphinha is another notable absentee, along with Pedri, the Barcelona and Spain midfielder.

The complete list of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or

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)

Gabriel (Arsenal, Brazil)

Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)

Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco)

Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain, Georgia)

Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)

Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr, Senegal)

Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain, Brazil)

Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan, Argentina)

Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France)

Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)

João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)

Michael Olise (Bayern Munich, France)

Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain, Ecuador)

Julián Quiñones (Al-Qadsiah, Mexico)

Declan Rice (Arsenal, England)

Rodri (Manchester City, Spain)

Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain, Spain)

William Saliba (Arsenal, France)

Ferran Torres (Barcelona, Spain)

Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich, France)

Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid, Brazil)

Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)

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