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Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Amanda Langell

The 10 Biggest Names Not Nominated for 2026 Ballon d’Or

Julián Álvarez World Cup Bradley Barcola Cole Palmer Bukayo Saka Cristiano Ronaldo David Raya Désiré Doué Enzo Fernández EPL

The shortlist for the Men’s Ballon d’Or award had some noticeable absentees, with several World Cup, Champions League and Premier League winners not included among the 30 nominated players.

The nominees for the most prestigious individual prize in soccer were unveiled on Tuesday, nearly seven weeks ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Paris Saint-Germain players dominated the list, taking up 10 spots following their successful Champions League title defense.

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