Real Madrid Quartet Headline Final 30 Shortlist for October London Ceremony
Four Real Madrid players, including forward Kylian Mbappe and midfielder Jude Bellingham, have secured spots on the final 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. Mbappe enters the running after scoring 42 goals in 44 games during the 2025/26 campaign, alongside nominations for teammates Bellingham, Vinicius Jr., and recent signing Marc Cucurella.
Real Madrid Contingent Features World Cup and Club Standouts
The nominations reflect strong individual efforts across both international and domestic competition, despite Real Madrid finishing the 2025/26 club campaign without a major trophy. Mbappe finished as top scorer in both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League before winning the Golden Boot with France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bellingham recorded seven goals during England’s third-place World Cup run, while Vinicius Jr. scored 22 goals and added 14 assists in 53 matches to collect his fifth career nomination. Left-back Marc Cucurella completes the Madrid group following his transfer from Chelsea and subsequent World Cup title victory with Spain.
Jude Bellingham
playerThe global shortlist sets up the voting window ahead of the official awards ceremony scheduled for London this October. The four Real Madrid candidates face competition from an international field that includes Paris Saint-Germain trio Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Joao Neves, alongside Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Pau Cubarsi.
Reporting was first published by Madrid Universal.
