It happens all the time: officially, the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or are announced
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The 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees have been announced, featuring a list of top football players and coaches. Notable exclusions include Raphinha, Pedri, Dani Olmo, and three-time winner Aitana Bonmatí.
Why it matters
The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual award in professional football, and its nomination lists significantly influence sports media discourse.
Absence of Raphinha and Flick the biggest shocks: the full list of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or awards Ballon d'Or Barcelona Barcelona Bayern Munich Bayern Munich Manchester City Women OL Lyonnes Arsenal Paris Saint-Germain Flamengo Bodoe/Glimt Luis Enrique V. Kompany L. de la Fuente M. Arteta U. Emery Y. Bounou E. Mendy T. Courtois Vozinha U. Simon D. Raya G. Kobel A. Bouaddi I. Maza P. Cubarsi L. Yamal Y. Diomande A. Russo C. Pina E. Brugts P. Guijarro C. Hansen A. Bonmati E. Haaland B. Fernandes J. Bellingham L. Diaz M. Cucurella A. Hakimi K. Kvaratskhelia L. Martinez L. Messi K. Mbappe D. Rice M. Olise Vinicius Junior Vitinha Raphinha Pedri D. Olmo Spain Germany England France Brazil Norway Belgium Morocco Senegal Cape Verde Switzerland Algeria Côte d’Ivoire Netherlands Portugal Colombia Georgia Argentina Who will earn the great honour?
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