There are concerns regarding the selection procedure for the 2026 Ballon d’Or nominees after five exceptional players were left off the shortlist, despite solid justifications for their inclusion based on their performances throughout the season.
Leading contenders including Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi were among the 30 players named by France Football on September 8, in advance of the event in London.
Individual performances, consistency, and contributions in big events should also go into the selection process, but winning trophies is still a major criterion. To be specific, there are five players who should definitely be considered for the nominations.
A numerical list of the five deserving players and the grounds for their inclusion on the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or is presented below.
Désiré Doué, a Frenchman from Paris Saint-Germain
Following his pivotal part in PSG’s Champions League victory, Doué makes a compelling case for eligibility. The French striker helped PSG win the European championship with five goals and four assists. In 41 appearances for the club, he scored 13 goals, helping the French champions win Ligue 1. Doué started for Arsenal in the Champions League final in Budapest and scored the game-winning penalty kick in the shootout. After that, he had eight appearances for France during the World Cup, where he scored once and assisted on another.
Barcelona/Brazil player Raphinha
Raphinha nevertheless managed to put up some great stats for Barcelona this season, despite dealing with a lot of injuries. In 33 games for his team, the Brazilian scored 21 goals and added 8 assists, with 29 of those goals coming from direct involvements. He only got two chances to prove himself on the international stage due to injury, and that includes the World Cup. But his impact and production on offence for Barcelona made a strong case for him to be named one of the 30 nominees.
Pedri from Barcelona, Spain
Pedri was an integral part of Barcelona’s midfield and had an impact beyond only scoring and assisting. The Catalan team won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup because to his pace control, ball distribution, and ability to create opportunities under pressure. He played in 43 games for the club, netting two goals and assisting on another twelve. As the Spanish national team won the World Cup, he was a mainstay in every one of their eight matches. After a solid season in which he was considered for the Ballon d’Or, Pedri finished eleventh in 2025.
Aaron Ramsey (Spain)
With 19 shutouts, Raya was a key cog in Arsenal’s historic Premier League title run, the club’s first since 2004. The Spaniard won his third straight Premier League Golden Glove after keeping a perfect record (28 saves) in all club competitions.
Additionally, he assisted Arsenal in reaching the Champions League final by preventing PSG’s eventual victory by saving a penalty kick by Nuno Mendes in the shootout. Raya was a leading contender for the Ballon d’Or main shortlist due to his consistency and decisive saves, even though defensive organization played a role in his accomplishments.
Juliano Álvarez (Argentina national team, Atlético Madrid)
In La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey, Álvarez finished the club season with a total of 20 goals and nine assists. Despite Atlético Madrid’s title drought, the Argentine forward was instrumental in advancing his team to the domestic cup final and the semi-finals of the Champions League.
He was instrumental for Argentina in their World Cup run, helping his team beat Switzerland in the quarterfinals after extra time thanks to his goal. Even though Atlético did not win any hardware, his goals, work rate, and performances in important contests made him a strong candidate for nomination.
Despite the fact that every player’s campaign was impacted by unique circumstances, their performances provided solid grounds for inclusion.