Julián Quiñones is one of the 30 nominees for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d'Or.

The Al-Qadsiah forward has had an extraordinary year in football, both at club level and internationally with the Mexican national team.

However, before reaching the pinnacle of world football, he had to make a personal and professional decision that changed the course of his life forever.

The journey that established him in Liga MX

Born in Magüí Payán, Colombia, Quiñones arrived in Mexico at the age of just 18 to join the Tigres UANL youth team.

He took his first steps in professional football on loan at Venados FC in Ascenso MX and later at Lobos BUAP, clubs where his goal-scoring ability began to attract attention.

Back at Tigres, he was part of a successful era that saw the club win Liga MX and CONCACAF Champions League titles, although he was often rotated in and out of the starting line-up.

However, his definitive leap to stardom in Mexican football came when he signed for Atlas FC.

At the red-and-black side, the striker became the hero and undisputed star of their historic back-to-back league titles (Apertura 2021 and Clausura 2022).

That impact took him straight to Club América, where he cemented his status as one of the most dominant strikers in the recent history of the domestic league.

As the Azulcrema side’s attacking linchpin, he led the team to a further back-to-back league title (2023 Apertura and 2024 Clausura) and the Campeón de Campeones, ushering in an era of absolute dominance before making the move to Saudi Arabian football.

His love for Mexico and turning his back on his homeland

Having built his entire career and started a family in Mexico, his sense of belonging to the country that had welcomed him led him to make a life-changing decision.

When the time came to decide, Quiñones turned down the chance to represent Colombia and chose instead to wear the Mexican national team’s shirt.

The striker himself has repeatedly made clear the reasons that led him to adopt Mexico as his footballing and personal home:

“I think everyone knows that I’ve made my life in Mexico; I made a name for myself here. I’ve spent my entire career in Mexico. My family is here – I built my life here – so I think I’ve developed an unbreakable love for Mexico,” said Quiñones.

In the same vein, he explained: “Everything I am and everything I have now – not in material terms, but simply as a person – I owe entirely to Mexico. I am deeply grateful to Mexico.”

In 2023, when the Colombian national team manager Néstor Lorenzo attempted to officially call him up to the Colombian national team, Quiñones categorically rejected the invitation.

Convinced of the path he had chosen, the forward didn’t even open the letter from the Colombian Football Federation, as his decision to play for ‘El Tri’ had already been made.

After completing his naturalisation process, he made his debut for Mexico in November 2023 and quickly became a key figure in the attack.

There, he began to win major international titles, such as the Gold Cup and the CONCACAF Nations League.

Quiñones established himself as a leading figure on the national stage and achieved a level of consistency that propelled him straight into the elite.

A sensational season in the Saudi Arabian league

That consistency translated into a flawless campaign at club level after he made the move to Al-Qadsiah.

In a league packed with international stars, the 29-year-old striker was crowned top scorer in the Saudi Arabian league with 33 goals, finishing ahead of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, João Félix and Ivan Toney in the scoring charts.

Across the season in Asian football as a whole, Quiñones racked up 37 goals and 4 assists in all competitions, contributing to 41 goals directly throughout the footballing year.

Key to the 2026 World Cup

Furthermore, his performances in major international tournaments were a decisive factor in securing his selection for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.

Indeed, at the 2026 World Cup, Quiñones cemented his status as a key attacking figure in the team managed by Javier Aguirre.

The striker not only had the pleasure of scoring Mexico’s first goal in the World Cup, but also enjoyed a highly impactful tournament, netting 4 goals and providing 1 assist in 5 matches played.

Consequently, that decision taken years ago firmly established him amongst the elite of world football and put him in contention for the most prestigious individual award.