73-Goal Season Puts Harry Kane Atop 30-Man Ballon d'Or Shortlist
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane has been named on the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or following a season in which he scored 73 goals for club and country. Kane joins England teammates Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid and Declan Rice of Arsenal on the roster, with the winner to be crowned at a ceremony in London on October 26, 2026.
Paris St-Germain Leads 30-Player Shortlist as Lionel Messi Secures Nomination
European champions Paris St-Germain lead all clubs with nine nominated players on the shortlist, excluding newly signed forward Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal for Spain in July’s World Cup final. Reigning Ballon d’Or holder Ousmane Dembele features alongside PSG teammates Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi, and Vitinha. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi earned a nomination after scoring eight goals during Argentina’s run to the World Cup final prior to his international retirement.
Declan Rice
playerReal Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Arsenal defensive duo Gabriel and William Saliba also feature on the selection. Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal leads a six-player contingent from Spain’s World Cup-winning squad, while veteran forward Sadio Mane made the list representing Al-Nassr.
The 2026 ceremony marks the 70th anniversary of the award created by France Football in 1956. Staging the presentation at a venue in London serves as a symbolic tribute to former England international Sir Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural edition of the award.
Harry Kane
player| Club | Nominated Players |
|---|---|
| Paris St-Germain | 9 (Ousmane Dembele, Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha) |
| Bayern Munich | 4 (Harry Kane, Luis Diaz, Michael Olise, Dayot Upamecano) |
| Real Madrid | 4 (Jude Bellingham, Marc Cucurella, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr) |
| Arsenal | 3 (Gabriel, Declan Rice, William Saliba) |
Reporting gathered via Alastair Telfer of BBC Sport.