Manuel Neuer

The 2026–27 Champions League will feature 66 players who were nominated for the Ballon d'Or. Discover the full list, team by team.

Pivotal to any team’s success, goalkeepers and defenders have been acclaimed by Ballon d’Or across eight decades. Yet so often they miss out on the biggest prize to headline-making goal-scorers and creatives.

We analyse historical data to determine whether a goalkeeper can realistically hope to win the ‘Ballon d'Or’. What are the odds? Is it a pipe dream or a reality?

Goals are usually the most memorable moments of a World Cup, but no team gets very far without a great goalkeeper. At the 2026 tournament, several nominees and winners of the Yashin Trophy defended their national teams and put in decisive performances. But who was the best performer throughout the tournament?

Now that the World Cup is over, the same old rumour resurfaces: that the Ballon d’Or winner is always a World Cup winner. But is that really true?

The 2026 World Cup will mark the end of a golden era in the history of the Ballon d'Or. We take a look at the legends who will be playing in their final World Cup.