Meet the 30 players nominated for Ballon d’Or 2026

The full 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or has been revealed, with some of the biggest names in world football included among the contenders for the prestigious individual award.

Defending champion Ousmane Dembélé is among the nominees, while eight-time winner Lionel Messi also features on the list.

Other high-profile contenders include Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Jr., Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal and Achraf Hakimi.

The shortlist also includes Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal defender William Saliba, Liverpool forward Luis Díaz and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Vitinha.

The complete 30-player shortlist is:

1. Jude Bellingham
2. Pau Cubarsí
3. Marc Cucurella
4. Ousmane Dembélé
5. Luis Díaz
6. Bruno Fernandes
7. Gabriel
8. Erling Haaland
9. Achraf Hakimi
10. Harry Kane
11. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
12. Lamine Yamal
13. Sadio Mané
14. Marquinhos
15. Lautaro Martínez
16. Kylian Mbappé
17. Nuno Mendes
18. Lionel Messi
19. João Neves
20. Michael Olise
21. Willian Pacho
22. Julián Quiñones
23. Declan Rice
24. Rodri
25. Fabián Ruiz
26. William Saliba
27. Ferran Torres
28. Dayot Upamecano
29. Vinícius Jr.
30. Vitinha

The nominees represent some of the outstanding performers from the 2025/26 football season, with club success, individual performances and consistency among the factors considered for the award.

The winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or will be crowned at the awards ceremony in London on October 26.