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Notable Omissions from the Ballon d'Or 2026 Shortlist, Including Raphinha and Ronaldo

France Football Reveals Ballon d'Or 2026 Shortlist

On Tuesday, France Football unveiled the 30-player shortlist for the Ballon d'Or award. Among the nominees is Ousmane Dembele, who won in 2025 and is one of nine players representing Paris Saint-Germain’s victorious 2025-26 season. Lionel Messi appears on the list again for the 17th time, aiming for a record ninth win, though Argentina’s loss to Spain in the World Cup final weakens his chances.

Players from Luis de la Fuente's world champion squad also feature prominently. The 2024 winner Rodri, 2025 runner-up Lamine Yamal, and decisive final goal scorer Ferran Torres are all contenders. Despite this, several top players were surprisingly left out.

Big Names Missing from the Ballon d'Or List

  • Martin Odegaard (Arsenal and Norway): Captaining Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years and shining during Norway’s remarkable run to the World Cup quarterfinals, Odegaard started this season impressively. His omission is puzzling given his impact, though ongoing fitness and form concerns throughout the season might explain it.
  • Desire Doue (PSG and France): Doue was the only one among Luis Enrique’s ten primary PSG starters not to make the shortlist. He scored 13 goals and provided eight assists as PSG secured both Ligue 1 and the Champions League titles, plus performed well at the World Cup, making his exclusion debatable.
  • Raphinha (Barcelona and Brazil): Despite injury setbacks last season, Raphinha netted 21 goals in just 33 appearances for Barcelona, averaging nearly 0.9 goals per 90 minutes. After finishing fifth in 2025, many expected him to be included this time, so his absence seems unfair.
  • Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid and Argentina): Alvarez’s summer transfer saga highlighted his status among top forwards. He scored 20 goals and contributed nine assists in all competitions but had a quieter World Cup due to injury, aside from an important goal in Argentina’s quarterfinal win over Switzerland.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr and Portugal): Although his final World Cup failed to spark, Ronaldo scored prolifically for Al Nassr and ended their wait for a Saudi Pro League title. His teammate Sadio Mane made the list, helped by his Africa Cup of Nations performance.
  • Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea/Manchester City and Argentina): Fernandez made history with two transfers exceeding £100 million, moving from Chelsea to Manchester City. He had his best scoring season yet and played key roles in Argentina’s World Cup journey, though his red card in the final hurt his chances.
  • Pedri (Barcelona and Spain): Catalan media expressed surprise at Pedri’s omission. The technically skilled Barcelona midfielder lost his Spain starting spot after the World Cup quarterfinals, with the team favoring other midfield combinations.

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