Surprises and absences: Mbappé and Messi among the Ballon d'Or nominees as Ronaldo and Raphinha miss out

Surprises and absences: Mbappé and Messi among the Ballon d'Or contenders, Ronaldo and Raphinha out of the race Ballon d'Or K. Mbappe L. Messi C. Ronaldo M. Salah F. Ruiz E. Haaland O. Dembele L. Yamal France Argentina Portugal Egypt Spain Norway Roshn League duo make an appearance: world champions in control

French magazine "France Football", in collaboration with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), have announced the full list of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, the award handed to the best player in the world.

The nominees for the sport's most prestigious individual prize dropped on Tuesday evening. The winner will be crowned at a grand ceremony on 26 October, staged for the first time in the award's history in London.