France Football has unveiled the 30 nominees for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or, and some of the players left off the list are generating almost as much discussion as those who made it.
The 2026 award covers performances from August 3, 2025 to July 19, 2026, including the FIFA World Cup. The winner will be announced at the London Palladium on October 26. (Ballon d’Or)
Here are five of the biggest names missing from the shortlist.
Raphinha: From Fifth Place to Outside the Top 30
Raphinha’s omission is one of the most striking.
The Barcelona winger finished fifth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or, but he failed to make the 30-man list this time despite scoring 21 goals during the 2025–26 season. (Daily Sports)
Fitness problems may have weakened his case. Raphinha suffered another hamstring injury during Brazil’s 3-0 World Cup victory over Haiti and was limited to just two appearances at the tournament. Brazil were eventually eliminated by Norway in the round of 16. (FIFA)
France Football has not publicly identified a specific reason for leaving him out, but his drop from fifth place to outside the top 30 is one of the biggest changes from last year’s ranking.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Still Missing as Messi Returns
Cristiano Ronaldo is absent from the Ballon d’Or shortlist for a fifth consecutive edition.
His omission is particularly notable because Lionel Messi has returned after missing the 2024 and 2025 lists.
Messi’s 2026 nomination is the 17th of his career, leaving him one behind Ronaldo’s all-time record of 18. Ronaldo’s most recent Ballon d’Or nomination came in 2022. (Ballon d’Or)
Messi strengthened his case during the assessment period by helping Inter Miami win the 2025 MLS Cup and taking Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final. He finished the World Cup with eight goals and four assists. (mlssoccer)
Mohamed Salah: Premier League Names Miss Out
Mohamed Salah is another major absentee.
He is joined outside the shortlist by other high-profile names including Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Victor Osimhen, while players such as Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Bruno Fernandes and Declan Rice were included. (UEFA.com)
The selections have prompted discussion over how domestic performances, international tournaments and success in European competition were weighted.
Paris Saint-Germain are particularly well represented. Ten current PSG players appear on the list, including summer signing Ferran Torres, while Saudi Pro League players Sadio Mané and Julián Quiñones also earned nominations. (Daily Sports)
Désiré Doué: Champions League Success Was Not Enough
Désiré Doué is another surprise omission.
The PSG attacker finished 14th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or and remained an important part of the Paris side during the 2025–26 campaign.
Yet Doué was left off the shortlist while a large group of PSG teammates — including Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves and Willian Pacho — were selected. (Daily Sports)
His absence stands out even more because of the number of PSG players recognised by France Football.
Former PSG attacker Bradley Barcola, who later moved to Liverpool, was also left off the list.
Pedri: World Champion Still Misses Out
Pedri may have one of the strongest arguments among the players who were overlooked.
Barcelona’s official profile confirms that the midfielder appeared in every match of Spain’s victorious 2026 World Cup campaign. (FC Barcelona)
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final, with Ferran Torres scoring the winner in the 106th minute. (FIFA)
Six Spanish players made the Ballon d’Or shortlist: Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz and Ferran Torres.
Pedri did not.
His style is not built around huge goal scoring numbers, but his absence raises a familiar Ballon d’Or question: how should influential midfield performances be measured against more visible goals and assists?
What Does the 2026 Shortlist Tell Us?
The 2026 shortlist highlights just how difficult the Ballon d’Or selection becomes when club football and a World Cup fall within the same assessment period.
France Football’s regulations state that voters should consider three factors, in order: individual performances, team performances and trophies, and class and fair play. (Ballon d’Or)
That leaves plenty of room for debate.
Raphinha dropped from fifth to outside the top 30. Ronaldo remains absent while Messi returns. Salah and several other established stars missed out. Doué was overlooked despite PSG’s heavy representation, while Pedri failed to make the cut despite becoming a world champion.
The final rankings — and the identity of the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner — will be revealed in London on October 26.
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