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

On Tuesday, France Football unveiled its 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or. Among those nominated are nine players from Paris Saint-Germain, reflecting their success in the 2025-26 season. Ousmane Dembele, last year's winner, is again in the running. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi earns his 17th nomination, though his hopes for a record ninth win dimmed after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the World Cup final.

The reigning champion Rodri and runner-up Lamine Yamal, both part of Luis de la Fuente’s World Cup-winning team, join Ferran Torres, who netted the winning goal in the final. Yet, several prominent stars failed to make the list, raising eyebrows.

Top Players Missing from the Ballon d'Or List

• Martin Odegaard (Arsenal and Norway): Odegaard captained Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years and was vital in Norway’s memorable run to the World Cup quarterfinals. Despite starting the current season impressively, past struggles with form and fitness during Arsenal’s successful campaign might explain his surprising absence.
• Desire Doue (PSG and France): Of PSG’s ten key starters, Doue stands out as the only one left off the shortlist. He scored 13 goals and provided eight assists across all competitions as PSG clinched both Ligue 1 and the Champions League, also shining at the World Cup, making his omission puzzling.
• Raphinha (Barcelona and Brazil): Although plagued by injuries last season, Raphinha still managed 21 goals in 33 appearances for Barcelona, averaging nearly 0.87 goals per 90 minutes. After finishing fifth in last year’s voting, many consider his complete exclusion this year unfair.
• Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid and Argentina): Alvarez’s summer transfer drama highlighted his status as a top forward. He tallied 20 goals and nine assists across all competitions but had a quiet World Cup due to injury, apart from a critical goal in Argentina’s quarterfinal win against Switzerland.
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr and Portugal): Despite a lukewarm World Cup performance, Ronaldo scored prolifically for Al Nassr and helped end their Saudi Pro League title drought. His teammate Sadio Mane earned a spot, boosted by his strong showing at the Africa Cup of Nations.
• Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea/Man City and Argentina): Fernandez made history with two transfers exceeding £100 million in quick succession, moving from Chelsea to Manchester City. He enjoyed his best scoring season at Chelsea and was crucial in Argentina’s World Cup run, netting decisive goals against Egypt and England. However, his red card in the final against Spain may have hurt his chances.
• Pedri (Barcelona and Spain): The Catalan media expressed disappointment over Pedri’s exclusion. He is regarded as one of the most technically gifted midfielders. Yet, losing his starting place for Spain after the World Cup quarterfinals, where the team shifted to a lineup featuring Fabian Ruiz and Rodri, might explain the decision.