NOMINEES 2026 MEN

The 2025 Ballon d’Or champion and 2026 nominee has fired a quartet of hat-tricks in his illustrious career. One made his name. Two were away from home. The other lit up the world stage.

From being criticised to becoming world champion and being nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or. This is the story of the full-back who turned pressure into applause.

The Spaniard, who has been nominated for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, reflects on the life lesson he learns every day at home, which has freed him from the fear of making mistakes on the pitch.

The reigning Ballon d’Or champion has been nominated again in 2026, extending on one of the most dramatic redemption arcs in footballing history. It has steered him from despair to global veneration.

Labelled a world beater before a professional ball was kicked, the Real Madrid conductor has gone on to fulfil every ounce of the hype.

At World Cup 2026 the Ballon d’Or nominee deomonstrated his full international worth with a series of stand-out displays in the Americas.

From a rising star to a key player in Spain’s World Cup-winning team. Find out why the World Cup catapulted him into the running for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

Before making his mark at the highest level and being nominated for the Young talent Ballon d'Or, the centre-back grew up steeped in a family tradition that began in 1905. Discover his more human side.

Nominated in the young talent category for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, PSG's 20-year-old midfielder has transformed from a prodigy into a resilient tactical anchor for club and country.

Known as “Mazadona” in Algeria, Ibrahim Maza has been making a name for himself as one of the great talents of the new generation. At the age of 20, the Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder has just received his first nomination for the Ballon d’Or in the Men's Young Talent of the Year category – and this is the story behind his rise to prominence.

Discover the more human side of Lamine Yamal: his grandmother’s journey from Morocco, the hardships of his childhood and the sacrifices made by his family that propelled the young man to the very top of the football world.

Behind the two words printed on his T-shirt lies a pact of gratitude forged during his family’s most difficult times.

Early maturity, neighbourhood pride and absolute freedom: the phrases that capture the mindset of the young footballer, nominated for the third time for Young Talent of the Year.

A look into the remarkable trajectory, heritage, and explosive form of the teenage sensation taking European football by storm. A 2026 Ballon d'Or nomination for Best Young Talent is a signifier of that.

It’s been a big few months for Johan Manzambi, excelling at World Cup 26, transferring to the Premier League, and now nominated for the Ballon d’Or Men’s Young Talant of the Year.

As well as his defensive solidity, the young centre-back stood out at the World Cup for a quality that is unusual for a player in his position. We analyse the statistics that cemented his reputation.

Rejected in his early days, plagued by poverty and devastated by the death of his sister Roxane. This is the moving story of Real Madrid’s new signing.

Humble beginnings, admiration for his idols and the composure of a seasoned player: the quotes that reveal the mindset of the centre-back, who has been nominated for Young Talent of the Year.

From Bosnia to the world stage: Kerim Alajbegović is one of the nominees for the Young Men's Talent of the Year award at the Ballon d'Or ceremony and is emerging as one of the most promising talents of the new generation.

Nominated for the Men’s Young Talent of the Year 2026, Bouaddi is an early achiever whose best is still to come.