France Football magazine has officially announced the list of 30 candidates for the 2026 Men's Golden Ball title, with the participation of a series of stars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Rodri.
The players who impressed at the 2026 World Cup all appeared in the nomination list. Besides familiar names, PSG also contributed up to 9 players after winning the Champions League title, including Ousmane Dembele, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabian Ruiz and Vitinha.
Lionel Messi continues to be present even though he is 39 years old. The Argentine superstar is owning a record of 8 Golden Balls, the most in history. At the 2026 World Cup, Messi scored 8 goals and helped Argentina win the runner-up title.
El Pulga also set a new milestone when he became the top scorer in World Cup history, surpassing Miroslav Klose's record of 16 goals. After 6 appearances in the tournament, Messi has 21 goals.
However, Kylian Mbappe is the most highly rated name in this year's race. The Real Madrid striker experienced a successful 2026 at both club and national team level when he won the top scorer title in La Liga, Champions League and World Cup.
Mbappe scored 10 goals and had 4 assists for France at the 2026 World Cup, although this team only ranked fourth. This achievement helped him surpass Messi to become the top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals.
Rodri is also considered a formidable candidate. The Manchester City midfielder was previously voted the Best Player of the 2026 World Cup. Although unable to win his 5th Premier League title, he had a brilliant year with the Spanish national team when he won the World Cup.
Notably, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be absent. The Portuguese striker is not named in the nomination list for the fourth consecutive year.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or award ceremony will be held in London (England) on October 26.
