Sadio Mane and Achraf Hakimi Nominated for 2026 Ballon d'Or

Sports News of Tuesday, 8 September 2026 Source: Webbers Choice 2026-09-08 « Prev Next » Comments (0) Listen to Article Africa will have two representatives on the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or shortlist. Senegal star Sadio Mane and Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi are among the 30 nominees. Mane plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. He earns a spot on the shortlist after a strong season at both club and international levels. Hakimi is nominated following an impressive campaign with Paris Saint-Germain. The Morocco international has become one of the top full-backs in football. He is part of a strong PSG group on this year's shortlist, which includes 10 players from the European champions. Mane is one of Africa's most successful players today. He previously finished fourth in the 2019 Ballon d'Or voting. The Senegal forward was named best player after Senegal's controversial AFCON 2025 final victory and helped Al Nassr win the league title. Hakimi aims to be the first Moroccan player to win the men's Ballon d'Or. The two Africans will compete against many top names in football, including reigning winner Ousmane Dembele, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, Vinicius Junior, and Rodri. The winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or will be announced later this year. Comments: This article has no comments yet, be the first to comment