Haaland, Messi and Kane in 2026 Ballon d’Or race, while Ronaldo is left off the list
France Football magazine has announced the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with a field featuring prominent names led by Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, along with Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.
According to Reuters, Harry Kane enters the competition after an exceptional season with Bayern Munich and the England national team, while Haaland continues to make a strong case thanks to his goalscoring record for Manchester City and Norway. Messi, meanwhile, remains in contention after an influential season with Inter Miami and the Argentina national team.
Ronaldo left off the list
The notable omission from the list is Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his winning the Saudi league title with Al Nassr. This gives fans more room to debate the nomination criteria, particularly given his continued goalscoring record and major influence in Asian and Saudi football.
The list also includes a group of emerging and veteran names, making the 2026 edition of the award one of the most diverse in terms of the leagues and national teams represented.
Strong women’s competition
In the women’s category, the list of nominees includes Eva Pajor, Alexia Putellas and Khadija Bunny Shaw, along with a number of the leading players in Europe and around the world.
The nominees for the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper were also announced, including Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha following his impressive performances at the World Cup.
The Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26, in an edition carrying a special character as it celebrates the award’s historic legacy.
File photo.
