Organisers France Football announced on Tuesday that Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Harry Kane are among the frontrunners on the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or. Additionally, Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha has been named on the 10-player shortlist for the Yashin Trophy, recognizing outstanding performance at the recent World Cup.
The award ceremony will mark a significant shift this year, moving from its traditional home in Paris to London. The change honors the 70th anniversary of the first Ballon d’Or, which was won by England legend Stanley Matthews. The event is scheduled for October 26.
Mbappé, who plays for Real Madrid, enters the race as the defending champion after winning the 2025 award. Although he did not secure a club trophy this season, he scored 10 goals for France during the World Cup, becoming the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
Kane had a prolific campaign with Bayern Munich and the England national team, netting 73 goals in 65 matches. His contributions helped Bayern claim a domestic treble comprising the Bundesliga, German Cup, and German Super Cup, while also guiding England to the World Cup semi-finals.
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland also remains in contention, having scored 58 goals in 64 games for both his club and Norway. Meanwhile, eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi recorded 75 goal contributions in 49 appearances for Inter Miami and Argentina, leading his nation to the World Cup final.
Other notable names on the shortlist include Jude Bellingham, Ousmane Dembélé, and Lamine Yamal. Five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo was excluded despite leading Al-Nassr to the Saudi Pro League title.
In the women’s category, the shortlist features Barcelona’s Ewa Pajor, who completed a quadruple win with the club, former Barcelona and Spain star Alexia Putellas, and Manchester City striker Khadija “Bunny” Shaw.
For the Yashin Trophy, Vozinha competes against top keepers such as Spain’s Unai Simon, Argentina’s Emi Martinez, Morocco’s Yassine Bounou, and Senegal’s Edouard Mendy. Vozinha’s inclusion follows his heroics that helped Cape Verde advance from the group stage of the World Cup.
Leave a Reply