Messi and Yamal Nominated for 2026 Ballon d'Or

The organizers of the Ballon d'Or released the nomination list on Tuesday, featuring Lionel Messi from Inter Miami and Lamine Yamal from Barcelona among the nominees. PSG made history by having ten players nominated, the highest number from a single club, including Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, William Pacho, Ferran Torres, and Fabian Ruiz.

This marks the first time that Ligue 1 has more nominees than other leagues. Real Madrid and Bayern Munich follow with four nominees each, including Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe.

The English Premier League has five representatives, with Arsenal contributing three players: Declan Rice, Gabriel, and William Saliba. The 2026 Ballon d'Or winner will be announced on October 28 in London.