Man Utd star nominated for Ballon d'Or as full 30-man list confirmed

The full 30-man list of men's nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or has been revealed, and it includes Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. The most prestigious individual honour in football will be awarded next month, with the 70th edition of the awards ceremony taking place in London. England captain Harry Kane is among the frontrunners as the striker looks to become just the fifth ever English recipient of the Ballon d'Or.

But Barcelona's Spanish World Cup winner Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe are among his main rivals for the gong. And United skipper Fernandes is also on the shortlist. The Portuguese playmaker became the first player in Premier League history to record 21 assists in a single season last term, also scoring nine goals. The PFA Players' Player of the Year only realistically has an outside chance of winning it, though, because neither United nor Portugal won a trophy in the last 12 months.

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Kane, by contrast, completed a domestic double with Bayern then shone for England at the World Cup with six goals for the Three Lions.

His team-mate Jude Bellingham, who scored seven times in the United States, is also nominated despite Real Madrid's struggles. They are the only two Three Lions stars in the running.

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The last English winner was Michael Owen in 2001. Before the late Kevin Keegan won the Ballon d'Or in back-to-back years, 1978 and 1979. No other Englishman has lifted the trophy since the country last won the World Cup 60 years ago.

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Bayern Munich centre-forward Kane scored 73 goals for club and country last season, a tally only ever beaten by Lionel Messi, who managed 82 for Barcelona and Argentina in 2011-12.

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Kane said: "I'm extremely proud of the season I put up, for sure. Not that long ago, I was that fan wanting to become a professional footballer, and I am here now and winning awards and the Ballon d'Or is the same.

"Of course, now it is out of my hands, it is down to the voters and the people who decide it. The season I had was my best season by far. I'm happy that I am in contention, so we will have to wait and see."

In addition to Fernandes, there are another four Premier League players on the 30-player shortlist in Manchester City marksman Erling Haaland and Arsenal title-winning trio William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice.

Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi is on the list. But United legend and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, now in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr, does not feature even though his team-mate Sadio Mane is a surprise inclusion.

Full 30-player list of 2026 Ballon d'Or nominees

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