Arsenal enjoyed a significant presence at Monday’s 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London, with Bukayo Saka collecting the Socrates Award and several teammates receiving individual recognition.
Saka was honoured for his humanitarian work through the Big Shoe charity, which supports people in need of medical treatment.
The England international’s achievement provided a highlight for Arsenal at the prestigious ceremony, held at the London Palladium.
The recognition extended beyond Saka, with five Arsenal players featuring in the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or rankings following an impressive 2025-26 campaign.
Declan Rice was the club’s highest-ranked representative in the men’s competition, finishing 15th after helping Arsenal secure their first Premier League title in 22 years.
The midfielder also played an influential role in Arsenal’s run to the Champions League final, where they were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain on penalties.
Rice contributed five goals and 11 assists across 55 appearances last season, establishing himself as a key figure in Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s plans.
His latest ranking represented an improvement on his previous finishes of 26th in 2024 and 27th in 2025.
Gabriel Magalhaes placed 21st following another impressive campaign in Arsenal’s defence.
The Brazilian earned selection in the Champions League Team of the Season and the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
His defensive partner William Saliba finished joint-29th after contributing to Arsenal’s 26 clean sheets across their title-winning season.
Arsenal Women also enjoyed recognition, with Alessia Russo finishing ninth in the women’s Ballon d’Or rankings.
The England striker remained among the world’s leading players after placing third in the previous year’s voting.
Mariona Caldentey finished 13th, further highlighting the quality within Arsenal’s women’s squad.
Elsewhere, Arteta was nominated for the Men’s Coach of the Year award following his Premier League triumph, although Spain manager Luis de la Fuente claimed the prize.
David Raya was also shortlisted for the Yashin Trophy, which was awarded to Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simon.
Arsenal received a nomination for Men’s Club of the Year, with Paris Saint-Germain ultimately taking the honour.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first English recipient since Michael Owen in 2001.
Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas claimed the women’s award for a third time.
For Arsenal, Saka’s humanitarian honour and the recognition earned across several categories rounded off another memorable chapter following the club’s successful campaign.