Liverpool does not have any players included on the Ballon d'Or shortlist for 2026, but two former stars who now ply their trade elsewhere are among the nominees
The Ballon d'Or trophy will not be lifted by a Liverpool player in 2026
The Ballon d'Or trophy will not be lifted by a Liverpool player in 2026(Image: Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Liverpool does not have any players on the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or after a difficult period under Arne Slot that saw the Dutchman fired a year after securing the Premier League title.
But two former Reds stars are among the nominees. Luis Diaz of Bayern Munich, who did very well after a transfer move to Germany, is one. Sadio Mane, who now plays in Saudi Arabia, is the other.
Diaz, who represented Colombia at the World Cup, played 66 matches in all, scoring 30 goals and providing 23 assists. He won the Bundesliga, the German Cup and German Super Cup under Vincent Kompany.
Mane, meanwhile, who plays for title-winning Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, played in 55 matches where he contributed a total of 24 goals and 13 assists, in addition to captaining Senegal.
The full list of nominees includes Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, Spain), Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona, Spain), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea/Real Madrid, Spain), Ousmane Dembele (Paris Saint-Germain, France), and Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, Portugal).
Also featuring are Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway), Gabriel (Arsenal, Brazil), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England), Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain) and Kvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain, Georgia).
Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane are both nominated for the Ballon d'Or
Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane are both nominated for the Ballon d'Or(Image: Getty Images)
Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain, Brazil), Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan, Argentina), Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid, France), Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina) and Michael Olise (Bayern Munich, France) make the list.
So too do Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal), Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain, Ecuador), Julian Quinones (Al Qadsiah, Mexico), Declan Rice (Arsenal, England), Rodri (Manchester City/Barcelona, Spain) and Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain, Spain).
Finally, Ferran Torres (Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain, Spain), William Saliba (Arsenal, France), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich, France), Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid, Brazil), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal) complete the set.
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Liverpool.com says: Diaz being on the list makes perfect sense. The South American was brilliant for Bayern Munich, and very much missed by the Reds.
In the case of Mane, though, it is a curious one. He is playing in a league that isn't that high a level, and hasn't particularly stood out.
Next year, Liverpool will expect the likes of Alexander Isak and Bradley Barcola to feature on the list.
Andoni Iraola has a strong roster of elite players to pick from, and he will need to ensure that he gets the most out of them, starting in the Champions League against Atletico Madrid this week.