The 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or award nominees have been released with Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe among the leading names for football’s most prestigious individual prize.
Released on Tuesday, the trio are joined by a host of the game’s biggest names on the shortlist, with the winner set to be crowned at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Oct. 26.
Paris Saint-Germain have some 10 nominees on the list, by far the most of any single club — eclipsing the seven nominees from LaLiga, and four from the Premier League.
Lionel Messi has been nominated for the first time since 2023, when he scooped the award for the eighth time after his move to Inter Miami.
Lamine Yamal was also nominated for the best young player. (Photo By Javier Borrego/Europa Press via Getty Images)
In the dugout, Luis Enrique, Vincent Kompany, Mikel Arteta, Luis de la Fuente and Unai Emery have been nominated for men’s coach of the year, while Vozinha has been nominated for goalkeeper of the year for his World Cup heroics.
Full list of nominees for men’s Ballon d’Or award:
Jude Bellingham
Pau Cubarsi
Marc Cucurella
Ousmane Dembele
Luis Diaz
Bruno Fernandes
Gabriel
Erling Haaland
Achraf Hakimi
Harry Kane
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Lamine Yamal
Sadio Mane
Marquinhos
Lautaro Martinez
Kylian Mbappe
Nuno Mendes
Lionel Messi
Joao Neves
Michael Olise
Willian Pacho
Julian Quinones
Declan Rice
Rodri
Fabian Ruiz
William Saliba
Ferran Torres
Dayot Upamecano
Vinicius Junior
Vitinha
Young Talent of the Year: Kerim Alajbegović, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Pau Cubarsí, Yan Diomandé, Lennart Karl, Éli Junior Kroupi, Lamine Yamal, Johan Manzambi, Ibrahim Maza, Warren Zaïre-Emery
Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Flamengo, Bodo/Glimt
