France Football has released its list of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, with eight-time winner Lionel Messi and young Barcelona star Lamine Yamal among those selected, according to a report by Punch. The publication shared the full list of players in contention for football's most prestigious individual award, which honours the best performer of the season. Fans can review the complete selection to see which players made the cut for this year's prize.

Ousmane Dembele, winner of the 2025 Ballon d'Or, has named his top three contenders for the 2026 award. According to Legit.ng, the French forward picked Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane and himself as the leading favourites for the prestigious individual prize. Notably, Dembele left out high-profile stars Lionel Messi and Rodri from his predictions. The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony will determine the successor to Dembele as the world's best player.

Former Arsenal defensive midfielder Emmanuel Petit has said that Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia deserves to win this year's Ballon d'Or award. According to Petit, Kvaratskhelia's performances over the last two years justify him winning the prize. Petit added that the Georgian international belongs on a short, non-exhaustive list of contenders for the prestigious individual football honour, according to the Daily Post report.

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has said he would vote for himself to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, the Daily Post reports. Speaking to French newspaper L'Equipe, Mbappe, who is regarded as one of the favourites for the prestigious individual award, responded to a question about his vote by saying he would back himself. The France captain's comments come as speculation builds ahead of the 2026 edition of the prize, which recognises the world's best footballer.

France Football is expected to unveil the shortlist of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or today, and a list of the top five favourites has emerged ahead of the announcement. According to Kalshi, England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane is currently leading the race for the prestigious individual prize. The rankings highlight the leading contenders as anticipation builds around the official nominee list for this year's award.

France legend Zinedine Zidane has said he would vote for Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, claiming he would back him "100 times." Messi was named among the 30-man shortlist of nominees released by France Football on Tuesday. According to the report, the Argentine earned his nomination after a season in which he led Inter Miami to the MLS title, scoring 45 goals and providing 30 assists.