Messi and Teen Sensation Lamine Yamal Headline 2026 Ballon d'Or Nominee List

Soccer's most prestigious individual award is back in the spotlight after organizers released the nominee lists for both the men's and women's Ballon d'Or on Tuesday, kicking off months of buildup to the ceremony in London on October 26. With 30 players named on each list, the field is wide — but a handful of standout names are already emerging as the players to watch. Kane, Mbappé and Yamal Lead the Men's Race Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé, and Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal have emerged as the three names generating the most buzz heading into the vote. Kane put together a prolific season, scoring 73 goals for Bayern Munich, though he came up short in both the Champions League and World Cup — two trophies that have historically carried significant weight in Ballon d'Or voting. Mbappé faces a similar gap on his résumé, but few players on this year's list can match his overall talent level. Yamal, still just 19, has already built one of the most decorated young careers in the sport. He played a key role in Spain's World Cup title run this summer, even though his individual performances weren't always at the electric level fans have come to expect from him. Lionel Messi also made the longlist, largely on the strength of his World Cup performances with Argentina. At eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, Messi's inclusion is notable, though he's considered a long shot to add a ninth trophy to his collection. Full List of 30 Men's Nominees Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid and England Pau Cubarsí, Barcelona and Spain Marc Cucurella, Chelsea/Real Madrid and Spain Ousmane Dembélé, Paris Saint-Germain and France Luis Díaz, Bayern Munich and Colombia Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United and Portugal Gabriel Magalhães, Arsenal and Brazil Erling Haaland, Manchester City and Norway Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco Harry Kane, Bayern Munich and England Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Paris Saint-Germain and Georgia Lamine Yamal, Barcelona and Spain Sadio Mané, Al-Nassr and Senegal Marquinhos, Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil Lautaro Martínez, Inter Milan and Argentina Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid and France Nuno Mendes, Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal Lionel Messi, Inter Miami and Argentina João Neves, Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal Michael Olise, Bayern Munich and France Willian Pacho, Paris Saint-Germain and Ecuador Julián Quiñones, Al-Qadsiah and Mexico Declan Rice, Arsenal and England Rodri, Manchester City/Barcelona and Spain Fabián Ruiz, Paris Saint-Germain and Spain William Saliba, Arsenal and France Ferran Torres, Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain and Spain Dayot Upamecano, Bayern Munich and France Vinícius Jr., Real Madrid and Brazil Vitinha, Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal Women's Race Looks More Settled The women's category appears less contested, with Barcelona's Alexia Putellas standing out as the clear favorite. Her strong run of performances helped the Catalan club capture a quadruple last season before she moved to the London City Lionesses this summer.