The 30-player shortlists for the Men's and Women's Ballon d'Or have been released.Ed MackeySeptember 8, 2026 at 12:55 PM EDTThe nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or have been announced. Getty Images2026 Ballon d'Or nominees revealedThe nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or have been announced as the countdown continues to next month's ceremony.30 players are on each shortlist for the men's and women's awards and now voting will commence to decide the world's best players.The Men's Ballon d'Or shortlistThe Women's Ballon d'Or shortlistThe award ceremony will take place in London on Monday, October 26 when those two players will be crowned.Get involved by letting us know who you think should win the Ballon d'Or — email us at live@theathletic.comSKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementAll eyes on the Ballon d'Or ceremony Getty ImagesSo, we know all the nominees for the 10 awards that will be given out at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony — now we just need to know who is going to win them.Join us again on Monday, October 26 for the ceremony live from London.We will be live all day from the moment you wake up in the morning right until the dust settles after the world's best male and female player have been crowned.Is it too late for Messi to win a ninth Ballon d'Or? Getty ImagesI usually look beyond stats and trophies — both very important metrics, that said — when thinking of who I would like to win the Ballon d'Or.And maybe it is the romantic in me or my lifetime Lionel Messi obsession, but I think the 39-year-old should be in the conversation to win the award.Yes, it has been to acknowledged that he is playing in MLS but he was arguably the best player at the 2026 World Cup, producing so many of the moments that truly get all of us off our seats.That is why I love football and that is why I love Messi. Eight Ballons d'Or are not enough recognition for a player who has done what he has done over the last two decades.While Messi is still playing football, I don't think there is anyone better at it in the world — and shouldn't the Ballon d'Or go to the best footballer on the planet?Olise, Rodri may just fall short Getty ImagesMichael Olise's season for Bayern Munich was among perhaps the top three best club campaigns for any player in world football.He briefly illuminated the World Cup with France, too, before fading towards the end of the tournament.Rodri, meanwhile, was outstanding for Spain at the World Cup but didn't play much or to his top level for his club, Manchester City.Both are probably top-five finishers in my book but will fall short of the main award.The Kvara campaign begins Getty ImagesAs a kid looking through the almanacks of past Ballon d’Or winners, I remember running my finger down the list and stopping at players from the Warsaw Pact countries. Josef Masopust, Lev Yashin, Florian Albert, Oleg Blokhin and Igor Belanov. There was an air of mystery to them. Outlier energy. No one from Eastern Europe and the Caucasus has won this award since Andriy Shevchenko in 2004. I’d love Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to get his hands on it. Kvaratskhelia is that rare thing in modern football. A genuine bolt from the blue. OK, his numbers last season perhaps pale in comparison with those of Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane: just the 33 goals and assists in all competitions. But his impact in the knockout stages of the Champions League was, once again, breathtaking.As a Georgian, Kvaratskhelia does not have the profile or celebrity of some of the other players on the shortlists. For instance, he does not have Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho lobbying for him every week as Mbappe does. Consider this the start of the Kvara campaign. Readers' views: Kane a popular choice Getty Images A quick look at our discussion shows a range of views among readers of The Athletic.But the most popular nominee is undoubtedly Harry Kane.Oskar B: "Kane would be the deserved winner. But I don't understand why the voting is not done immediately after the season ends? I fear the voters will (unconsciously) factor in performances from the current 26/27 season."Anonymous: "Got to be Harry Kane."cmccs: "Rodri has a shot, given the World Cup performance, results, and the best player of the tournament honors. Yamal is an outside chance — but he will win it sooner or later. His chances this year would have been better if he had scored more goals at the WC; however people ignore how instrumental he is in setting up chances and controlling the right side of the pitch. A Cubarsí win would be amazing!"George P: "Why is Vini in there ? Had an awful season…"Ben S: "Harry Kane every day of the week and twice on Sundays, for me. His numbers have been absolutely off the charts in every competition he’s played in and this is ultimately an individual award."Victoria L: "The clear cut winner for me is King Harry Kane - what he has achieved in the last year has simply been incredible. He is the deserved winner of this award and if it doesn't go to him there is something very wrong with this award. His performances with Bayern Munich, the Champions League and in the World Cup were simply out of this world and his year has been off the charts."SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementBodo/Glimt get their moment in the sun Getty ImagesAs Ed mentioned earlier on after they were nominated for the Men's Club of the Year award, Bodo/Glimt's story is amazing.The Norwegian side, who are based north of the freezing Arctic circle, play in bright yellow and — relative to their size, population and budget — are arguably one of the biggest successes in world football.The Ballon d'Or is not really a day for unsung heroes or under-the-radar underdogs... but it would be nice to see their efforts recognised in some way.Let's not forget, they beat Manchester City at home as well as Inter Milan at San Siro and Atletico Madrid in the bearpit of the Wanda Metropolitano, too!Vozinha's story is fantastic Getty ImagesI wish him all the very best at Colo Colo and acknowledge that Cape Verde were one of the stories of the World Cup.However I'm not sure Vozinha necessarily warrants inclusion in the Men's Goalkeeper of the Year award based on performances or talent.Some other stoppers might consider themselves a little unlucky not to be included.But I'm glad the net is being cast wider and for imaginative picks like Vozinha to be rewarded — so I don't mind the choice too much.A lone female nominee is poorFor there to only be one woman among the five nominees for Women's Coach of the Year feels, at best, like an oversight and, at worst, like an embarrassment.Are those who draw up the shortlist without sufficient wit to find and nominate more women for an award in women's sport?Not to say that male coaches doing good work in women's football absolutely cannot be recognised but for the shortlist to be 80 per cent men is disappointing.Do American players care about the Ballon d'Or? Getty ImagesThere's an interesting debate raging in the world of women's football as to whether U.S. players — and those based in the NSWL — get the recognition they deserve at the Ballon d'Or, or whether they really care about an award deemed pretty Euro-centric. USWNT's Sophia Wilson suggested that she isn't too bothered about winning the award in a recent podcast appearance but other former USWNT players have headed to play in Europe before with one eye on the award. The Ballon d'Or and FIFA Best Awards are rarely a good indication of who has actually had the best individual season in women's football but it would be naive to truly believe it does not matter to those players genuinely in contention. Rose Lavelle is the only USWNT player on the list and I'm not stating anything remarkable here by saying she's unlikely to be inside the top ten. Make of that what you will!Who else is unlucky to miss out? Getty ImagesJulian Alvarez starred for Atletico Madrid and Argentina, and I agree with Steve that David Raya's omission is puzzling.Another player, like Raya, maybe hamstrung by the fact he is not in one of the sexier attacking positions is defensive midfielder Moises Caicedo, surely the best player (or among the best) at what he does in the world.Barcelona midfielder Pedri helped his side to a highly successful club season and played a key role in Spain's World Cup triumph, while club team-mate Raphinha was otherworldly at times.Some of these players could easily and arguably should have been included instead of, say, Marc Cucurella, Sadio Mane, Julian Quinones and Ferran Torres.SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementCubarsi full value for his nomination Getty ImagesWhat a rise for young Pau Cubarsi — not that you would know he is still a teenager from his stunning performances for Barcelona and Spain last year.He has been a breakout star and won the Golden Boy award at the World Cup for his resolute defensive performances. Defenders rarely win individual plaudits but he has been scooping them up. He'll be an outside bet for the Ballon d'Or, but has an excellent chance of winning the Men's Young Talent of the Year award.Cucurella fortunate to be included Getty ImagesI'm not sure about Marc Cucurella's place on the shortlist.Sure, he was part of the Spain side that won the World Cup, but Chelsea had a horrible season before he joined Real Madrid this summer.His trophy with Spain was more a reflection of being part of a cohesive collection of players who were brilliantly coached rather than due to any individual brilliance.I'm not even sure he's in the top three left-backs in the world (Nuno Mendes, Alphonso Davies when fully fit, Riccardo Calafiori...)Gabriel deserves a nomination but should finish low Getty ImagesArsenal and Brazil centre-half Gabriel's place as the cornerstone of one of the best defences in club football means a nomination is deserved.But he only merits a finish lower down the list of nominees.He missed the decisive penalty for Arsenal in the Champions League final and Brazil looked all over the place defensively as they crashed out of the World Cup in the round of 16 against Norway.Raya should have been nominated Getty Images If Bruno Fernandes's nomination feels a little strange to me, so does David Raya's omission.Perhaps his ability to displace Unai Simon as No. 1 in the World Cup winning Spain side counted against him as, perhaps, did Arsenal's defeat in the Champions League final.But if Gabriel gets a deserved nomination for his role in the the best defence in the world then so, too, should the goalkeeper who played an equally important role.Fernandes deserves his place Getty ImagesI'm going to have to politely disagree with you, Steve.I agree that Manchester United's season was ultimately a failure, but imagine how much more damning a failure it would have been without Bruno Fernandes.He can't do everything by himself, much as he tries, and United and Portugal's ultimate lack of success was absolutely the responsibility of those around him rather than his own deficiencies.Fernandes is unlikely to make the top five or maybe even the top 10, but I'm not sure there's much more he could have done to be nominated.SKIP ADVERTISEMENTAdvertisementBruno Fernandes nomination does not sit right Getty ImagesSo, I am risking the wrath of Manchester United supporters here, so let's put something on the record straight away.Bruno Fernandes is a brilliant footballer who enjoyed a fine season individually in 2025-26. But he played in a season that was for the most part considered a failure for United, albeit it ended positively under Michael Carrick's caretaker leadership.United finished third in the Premier League but 14 points behind champions Arsenal, went out in the third round of the FA Cup and the second round of the League Cup and did not play in Europe.Even for individual awards, team success ought to be a consideration.That is why I felt uncomfortable when my colleagues in the Football Writers' Association named Fernandes as our Footballer of the Year, and it is why I feel his inclusion on this list feels a little odd.Sadio Mane? Really? Getty ImagesNow don't get me wrong, Sadio Mane is a bona fide Senegal icon.He was excellent as the west African side beat Morocco in the AFCON final in January, before they were retrospectively stripped of the title as almost the whole team walked off the pitch in protest at a controversial penalty being awarded to hosts Morocco... apart from Mane.He cajoled them back onto the pitch, Brahim Diaz saw his spot kick saved and Senegal triumphed after extra time thanks to Pape Gueye's screamer. But Mane, now 34, did not hit the same heights at this summer's World Cup, the country knocked out in the round of 32 after collapsing against Belgium.And though he has generally scored freely for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, the league's standard is poor and 10 goals in 25 matches hardly screams world-class.Perhaps more of a ‘legacy’ pick and for his actions in encouraging his team back onto the field in January, then, rather than outright based on any on-pitch achievements this year.Russo, Shaw or Chawinga deserving winners Getty ImagesThe list of nominees for the Women's Ballon d'Or is interesting — if the award is handed out based on performances (not just which women's player the judges have heard of), then there are a batch of genuine contenders. Alessia Russo should lead the way for her efforts for Arsenal and England as she has evolved into a genuine world-class talent. Bunny Shaw scores for fun and is another elite contender here — she might have less global pulling power than some of the other names on the list, however.As for a player who has excelled in the last 12 months, Temwa Chawinga fired Malawi to a surprise WAFCON final appearance and is consistently one of the highest scorers in NWSL.Bonmati unlucky in pursuit of historic four-peat Getty ImagesTough luck for Aitana Bonmati.Fairly, she hasn't made the shortlist after an injury-disrupted season.But she couldn't have helped those absences, and having played well when she was able to, the Spanish playmaker will be disappointed that she has been unable to defend her Ballon d'Or title for a record third time in succession as she went for four in a row.Still some player though. And at only 28, don't rule her out of winning it again.