Ferran Torres, whose goal against Argentina won the World Cup for Spain in July, leads a 30-man list for the men’s Ballon d’Or revealed on Tuesday. The 26-year-old who has since joined Paris Saint-Germain is one of six Spanish World Cup winners on the list, alongside 2024 laureate Rodri and last year’s runner-up Lamine Yamal. In the women’s section, three-time winner Aitana Bonmati did not make the shortlist after breaking her leg midway through the season, but her former Barcelona team-mate Alexia Putellas, the winner in 2021 and 2022 and now a London City Lionesses player, is there.
Ferran Torres, whose goal against Argentina won the World Cup for Spain in July, leads a 30-man list for the men’s Ballon d’Or revealed on Tuesday.
France international Dembele is one of nine PSG team-mates on the list to have won the Champions League in each of the last two years. England captain Harry Kane, who won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, is included as is his French team-mate and wing wizard Michael Olise. Flying Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was one of the stars of PSG’s successful Champions League defence, alongside Portuguese midfield pair Vitinha and Joao Neves, and all three are nominated.
Among them, Fabian Ruiz is the only player to have won the Champions League and World Cup in 2026. Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham earned his nomination with an impressive World Cup for England, scoring seven goals — matching Erling Haaland’s tally and beaten only by Messi (eight) and Kylian Mbappe, on 10. Putellas is one of seven players who won the women’s Champions League with the club in May to be on the list, including Poland’s Ewa Pajor, who scored a brace in the 4-0 final victory over Lyon.
