Ballon d’Or 2026: Defending Champion Faces Fresh Challenge As Shortlist Drops
Ousmane Dembele will face a strong challenge in his bid to retain the Ballon d’Or after France Football unveiled the 30-man shortlist.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward won the prize last year and has been nominated again following another impressive campaign.
Among his biggest rivals are England captain Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland and eight-time winner Lionel Messi.
Kane enjoyed a prolific season with Bayern Munich, scoring 73 goals for club and country while helping the German side secure major domestic honours.
Haaland was also included after scoring 58 goals for Manchester City and Norway during the assessment period.
Messi earned another nomination after helping Argentina reach the World Cup final and contributing heavily to Inter Miami’s successful campaign.
Mbappe enters the race after another productive season and a record-breaking World Cup, where he moved ahead of Messi as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
Yamal is also among the leading contenders after playing a major role for Barcelona and Spain during a campaign that ended with World Cup success.
Dembele’s chances were strengthened by Paris Saint-Germain’s continued success in Europe, with the Frenchman helping the club retain the Champions League title.
The shortlist also includes Real Madrid stars Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, alongside Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes.
However, five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo was notably absent from this year’s 30-player selection despite winning the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr.
The women’s shortlist also produced a major surprise, with three-time defending winner Aitana Bonmati missing out after spending much of the season sidelined by injury.
Alexia Putellas, Ewa Pajor and Melchie Dumornay are among the prominent names included in the women’s race.
The winners will be announced at the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26.
The event is being moved from its traditional Paris venue to London to mark the 70th anniversary of the first Ballon d’Or, won by England legend Stanley Matthews.
The final winner will be determined through voting by journalists representing the leading FIFA-ranked nations, with individual performance and team success forming key considerations.
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