Kane, Rice and Bellingham among 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees; Ronaldo misses out
France Football has published the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, with Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice and Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham among the headline inclusions. The omission of Cristiano Ronaldo is the most discussed takeaway, marking a further shift in the award's focus toward a new generation of stars. The shortlist reflects the influence of the Premier League, La Liga and Bundesliga across both attacking and midfield categories, and sets the stage for a tightly contested ceremony later this year.
Read the full story at skysports.comThe 2026 Ballon d'Or shortlist underlines how the conversation around world football's top individual honour has moved on. The presence of Kane, Rice and Bellingham reflects seasons in which English-based and Real Madrid players have shaped the biggest club competitions, while the absence of Ronaldo confirms a generational handover at the very top of the game. For supporters, the nominations offer an early indicator of how voters are weighing club form against tournament performance in a major year on the international calendar.
Context added by Socc360, not by skysports.com.
Data source: skysports.com (via Socc360). Last updated .
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