David Raya and Raphinha Ballon d
David Raya and Raphinha definitely deserved to be on the 30 man Ballon d'Or shortlist | Image Courtesy: Getty
The Ballon d'Or shortlist always gives fans something to argue about. Usually, it comes down to who deserves to win. This year, though, a few players have reason to wonder how they missed out on a nomination altogether.
France Football announced its 30-man shortlist on 8 September, with Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi among the contenders. There is no shortage of quality ahead of tonight’s ceremony in London, but some of the names left out of the Ballon d'Or race deserve a closer look.
Winning trophies alone should never guarantee a nomination. Equally, players who delivered consistently and made important contributions in the biggest competitions should be recognised for their performances.
Ballon d'Or 2026: 5 omissions that are difficult to understand
A league-winning goalkeeper, a midfielder who helped his club and country win major honours, and an attacker who contributed directly to nine Champions League goals. There are strong cases to be made for the players below.
Here are five players who deserved a place on the Ballon d'Or shortlist:
#5 Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid/Argentina)
VfB Stuttgart vs. Atlético Madrid - Source: Getty
VfB Stuttgart vs. Atlético Madrid - Source: Getty
Julián Álvarez finished the club season with 20 goals and nine assists across La Liga, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey. Atlético Madrid ended without a trophy, but the Argentine helped them reach the European semi-finals and the domestic cup final.
He also delivered an important moment for Argentina, scoring their second goal in the extra-time World Cup quarter-final victory over Switzerland.
The lack of silverware at club level counts against him. Still, this is a discussion about being one of 30 nominees, and Álvarez did enough to deserve that recognition. His goals, work rate and contribution to two deep cup runs gave him a credible Ballon d'Or case.
#4 David Raya (Arsenal/Spain)
What more could David Raya reasonably have done at club level?
The Spaniard kept 19 Premier League clean sheets as Arsenal won their first league title since 2004. He collected a third successive Golden Glove and finished the campaign with 28 clean sheets across all club competitions.
Arsenal also reached the Champions League final, where Raya saved Nuno Mendes’ penalty in the shootout before PSG eventually prevailed.
Clean sheets are a team effort, of course, and Arsenal’s defenders deserve their share of the credit. But Raya’s consistency was a major part of their success. His Yashin Trophy nomination is deserved, yet there was a strong argument for including him on the main Ballon d'Or shortlist too.
#3 Pedri (Barcelona/Spain)
FC Barcelona v Real Madrid - LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 - Source: Getty
FC Barcelona v Real Madrid - LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 - Source: Getty
Watch Barcelona with Pedri in midfield and it becomes clear why reducing his contribution to numbers tells only part of the story.
He knows when to slow a game down, when to move the ball quickly and how to find space when opponents are pressing. Those qualities helped Barcelona win La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup.
Even his numbers were respectable: two goals and 12 assists in 43 club appearances. He then featured in all eight of Spain’s World Cup matches and finished the summer as a world champion.
Pedri placed 11th in the 2025 Ballon d'Or standings. That finish did not entitle him to another nomination, but his performances over the following season gave him every reason to expect one.
#2 Raphinha (Barcelona/Brazil)
Raphinha’s injuries offer an explanation for his omission. Whether they justify it is another matter.
The Brazilian still managed 21 goals and eight assists in 33 club appearances. That is an astonishing return from a player whose season was repeatedly interrupted by fitness problems.
His World Cup ended after just two appearances because of injury, further limiting his opportunity to strengthen his Ballon d'Or claim. Even so, 29 direct goal contributions for Barcelona should have kept him firmly in the conversation.
Barcelona sporting director Deco certainly felt strongly about his exclusion alongside Pedri’s. Speaking to RAC1, he said:
“It’s a worldwide scandal. I don’t understand the lists, I don’t understand the nominations.”
#1 Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain/France)
Paris Saint-Germain v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League Final 2026 - Source: Getty
Paris Saint-Germain v Arsenal FC - UEFA Champions League Final 2026 - Source: Getty
PSG retained the Champions League, and Désiré Doué contributed five goals and four assists during that European campaign. That alone makes his absence from the Ballon d'Or shortlist difficult to explain.
Across the club season, he scored 13 goals in 41 appearances as PSG also won Ligue 1. He started the Champions League final against Arsenal in Budapest and converted his penalty in the shootout.
Doué then made eight appearances for France at the World Cup, registering a goal and an assist.
At 21, he has already earned his manager’s trust in matches where there is little room for error. A nomination would have recognised what he contributed throughout the season, particularly in Europe. Of these five omissions, his is the hardest to justify.
Tonight’s Ballon d'Or ceremony will settle the question of who wins. It will do little to settle the arguments over who should have been there in the first place.