Kane, Haaland, Messi on Ballon d’Or shortlist, Vozinha gets Yashin nomination

Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi have all earned spots on the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Men's Ballon d'Or, according to France Football. Kane's exceptional season with Bayern Munich and England, scoring an impressive 73 goals in 65 matches, helped secure a treble of Bundesliga, German Cup, and German Super Cup titles for his club and led England to a World Cup semi-final appearance.

Haaland, who netted 58 goals in 64 games for Manchester City and Norway, joined the list, while Messi, with 75 goal contributions in 49 matches for Inter Miami and Argentina, including leading his team to the World Cup final, rounded out the trio. Other notable names on the shortlist include Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Lamine Yamal, among others.

However, Cristiano Ronaldo was notably absent from the final 30, despite lifting the Saudi Pro League title with Al-Nassr. Meanwhile, Cape Verde's World Cup hero Vozinha has been nominated for the prestigious Yashin Award for the best goalkeeper, following his standout performances during the World Cup that helped his country advance from the group stage.

He will join the likes of Spain's Unai Simon, Argentina's Emi Martinez, and fellow African nominees Yassine Bounou and Edouard Mendy in the running for the coveted trophy. The 70th edition of the Ballon d'Or will be held in London for the first time, taking place on October 26 as a tribute to the legendary Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural Ballon d'Or in 1956.