France Football just dropped its 30-player shortlist for the Ballon d’Or, and while some familiar names are back in the hunt, the real chatter is all about who got straight-up disrespected with an omission. We’re talking about the biggest names in the game left off, and some of these snubs are just wild. Ousmane Dembele, the 2025 winner, is back in the mix, alongside Lionel Messi, who snagged his 17th nomination. Imagine, a ninth win would be on the table if Argentina hadn’t stumbled against Spain in the World Cup final. Rodri, the 2024 winner, and 2025 runner-up Lamine Yamal are there too, thanks to Luis de la Fuente’s world champions, plus Ferran Torres, who bagged the decisive goal in that final. But man, the list of players who didn’t make the cut is going to cause some serious arguments. Some of these guys have every right to feel completely robbed.
The PSG Shock And Arsenal’s Captain Left Out
Let’s talk about some of these head-scratchers, starting with the French giants. Paris Saint-Germain’s 2025-26 campaign was nothing short of triumphant, and they’ve got a whopping nine players on the list. But get this: Desire Doue, one of Luis Enrique’s 10 *first-choice starters* for PSG, is the *only one* not nominated. Are you kidding me? The dude scored 13 goals and chipped in with eight assists across all competitions as PSG swept both Ligue 1 and the Champions League. He then went on to shine at the World Cup. How do you leave that kind of production off the shortlist? It just doesn’t make sense.
Then there’s Martin Odegaard, the captain who led Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years. He followed that up by shining for Norway during their unforgettable run to the World Cup quarterfinals. He’s even started this season in “superlative form.” Sure, he had some form and fitness struggles last season, but the guy literally captained his team to a title after more than two decades! His omission is just straight-up unusual.
Ronaldo, Alvarez, and the Absurd Raphinha Snub
Now for the rest of the high-profile players who got left in the cold. Raphinha’s omission is the one that’s got Barcelona fans absolutely boiling. The Brazil winger was plagued by injuries last season, but even with that, he still hammered in 21 goals in just 33 appearances for Barcelona, averaging a ridiculous 0.87 goals per 90 minutes. Remember, he landed fifth in 2025 after a “banner year.” To leave him off the *entire* list now? The source straight up calls it “absurd,” and honestly, it’s hard to argue with that.
Julian Alvarez is another head-scratcher. The transfer saga surrounding him this past summer tells you everything you need to know about his status as one of the best forwards in the game. He notched 20 goals and nine assists across all competitions. An injury heading into the World Cup quieted him a bit, but he still dropped a screamer in Argentina’s quarterfinal win over Switzerland. And then there’s Cristiano Ronaldo. He might not have “ignited” in what was likely his final World Cup, but he still absolutely plundered goals for Al Nassr, ending their long wait for a Saudi Pro League title. His teammate, Sadio Mane, made the list with a strong showing for Senegal, making Ronaldo’s exclusion even more jarring. Rounding out the list of snubs is Enzo Fernandez, who made history as the first player to be involved in two transfers over £100m.
The debate is going to rage on for weeks, but one thing is clear: France Football made some incredibly questionable calls this year. These omissions are more than just a talking point, they’re a massive snub to some of the game’s undeniable talents.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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