The list of nominees has been revealed. Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembélé are among the 30 players selected for the 2026 Ballon d’Or which will be awarded on October 26, a selection in which the triple winner Aitana Bonmati does not appear among the women, according to the names communicated Tuesday September 8 by the organizers.
Unsurprisingly, the list of 30 selected is as predicted, with all the main contenders in the running.
In addition to last season’s Ballon d’Or, Ousmane Dembélé, seven other Paris SG players are still in the running: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Achraf Hakimi, Fabian Ruiz, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Marquinhos and Willian Pacho. On the other hand, Désiré Doué and the former Parisian Bradley Barcola (Liverpool) are absent from the list.
The Spaniards, winners of the last World Cup in the United States, are the most numerous, with six representatives, including Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsi, Rodri and Ferran Torres.
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Messi claiming a ninth coronation
Lionel Messi, eight times crowned Golden Ball in his career, unfortunate finalist of the World Cup with Argentina, who announced his international retirement less than ten days ago, is also still a contender for a ninth coronation.
More surprisingly, the Senegalese Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr) and the Mexican Julian Quinones (Al-Qadsiah FC) are also named.
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A month and a half before the coronation, speculation is rife as to who will be crowned at the end of a season where it seems difficult to identify a big favorite. Paris SG coach Luis Enrique, for example, estimated at the beginning of September that in his “opinion”, the trophy should be awarded “to a player” from the Parisian club, just like Marquinhos on Tuesday at a press conference.
“I hope it will be someone from PSG. We have very good players. I can’t tell you one. Do you have the list? I’m there? (laughs) It’s an individual prize. We’ve won important titles,” said the Brazilian defender and captain of the double European champions.
Absence of Aitana Bonmati
Kylian Mbappé, who won nothing with Real Madrid last season but became top scorer in the World Cup this summer, assured him on Monday that he had “the feeling that this is perhaps the right year to win it”.
Among the women, the absence of the triple winner Aitana Bonmati constitutes the small surprise of the list of 30 contenders.
The Barcelona superstar was injured at the end of November 2025 and only resumed last May, too little to claim the quadruplet.
Also (re)readDembélé and Bonmati crowned best players of the year 2025 by Fifa
The big favorites to succeed him are there, notably the three Barcelona players, the double Golden Ball Alexia Putellas (now at London City Lionesses), Patri Guijarro and the Polish striker Ewa Pajor. This year, Lyonnaise Melchie Dumornay is also one of the contenders.
The two winners, male and female, will be revealed during a ceremony which will take place in London on October 26.
With AFP
