Ballon d'Or 2026: big names in contention, no Dutch player on shortlist

The organising committee announced the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or on Tuesday. Not a single Dutch player made the cut. Last year, Virgil van Dijk and Denzel Dumfries were still among the favourites, before Ousmane Dembélé took the prize. Dembélé is in the running again this year, alongside Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Harry Kane, among others. Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, is back on the shortlist after a three-year absence. Organisers drew up the list based on performances between 3 August 2025 and 19 July 2026. That means the World Cup final, won by Spain, is included. Champions League winners and French champions Paris Saint-Germain lead the way with no fewer than nine players. Raphinha, Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola, now a Liverpool player, are absent from the prestigious list. The Ballon d'Or ceremony is set for 26 October. This year's event will take place in London rather than Paris, as a tribute to the very first presentation in 1956. The late Stanley Matthews won the award that year. 2026 Ballon d'Or shortlist:Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain), Pau Cubarsí (FC Barcelona), Marc Cucurella (Real Madrid), Luis Díaz (Bayern Munich), Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United), Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Lautaro Martínez (Inter), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain), Julián Quiñones (Al-Qadsiah), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Rodri (FC Barcelona), Fabián Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), William Saliba (Arsenal), Ferran Torres (Paris Saint-Germain), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona). This article first appeared on Goal.com and was syndicated with permission.