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2026 Ballon d'Or: Ronaldo, Raphinha - 8 Top Players Missing From Nominees' Shortlist
Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane are among the 30 nominees, while Cristiano Ronaldo was omitted despite Al-Nassr's Saudi Pro League title.
- On Tuesday, France Football announced the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or, featuring Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi, while Cape Verde's Vozinha earned nomination for the Yashin Trophy.
- Kane scored 73 goals in 65 matches for Bayern Munich and England, while Haaland netted 58 goals in 64 games. Eight-time winner Messi recorded 75 goal contributions in 49 matches, guiding Argentina to the World Cup final.
- Despite lifting the Saudi Pro League title with Al-Nassr, five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo was omitted from the list. At least eight top footballers were excluded, including Pedri, Raphinha, Desire Doue, Bukayo Saka, Bradley Barcola, David Raya, and Cole Palmer.
- Barcelona quadruple-winner Ewa Pajor, Alexia Putellas, and Manchester City striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw headline the women's shortlist. Men's nominees also include Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Lamine Yamal.
- The 70th edition of the Ballon d'Or will be staged in London on October 26, serving as a tribute to Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural award.
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2026 Ballon d’Or: Full 30-man shortlist, clubs with most nominees
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) lead the club standings with a record-equalling nine players nominated for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or, as read more 2026 Ballon d’Or: Full 30-man shortlist, clubs with most nominees
·Lagos, Nigeria
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Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or despite winning the Saudi Arabian League. However, Sadio Mane and Julian Quinones did make the cut.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources36
Leaning Left3Leaning Right8Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution62% Right
Bias Distribution
- 62% of the sources lean Right
62% Right
L 23%
15%
R 62%
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