Yamal has earned another opportunity to compete for one of football's most prestigious individual honours after an impressive campaign. The Barcelona forward is the reigning Kopa Trophy winner and has also been nominated among the 10 players in contention for this year's award for the best young player.
The teenage star will be hoping to retain the Kopa Trophy while also challenging some of the world's biggest names for the men's Ballon d'Or.
Messi has once again been recognised among the leading players in world football. The Argentine superstar has been included in the 30-player shortlist and will have the opportunity to extend his record for the most Ballon d'Or victories. Messi has won the prestigious award eight times during his career.
The latest nominations feature a strong collection of established stars and emerging talents from some of Europe's biggest clubs.
Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele is among the nominees, alongside Real Madrid trio Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham. Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has also earned a place on the shortlist after another productive season.
The Kopa Trophy nominations also feature Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, who has continued to establish himself as one of the club's promising young players.
Manchester City youngster Ayyoub Bouaddi is another player included among the nominees for the best young player award, highlighting the growing number of teenage talents making an impact at the highest level.
The Ballon d'Or nominations will now set the stage for another highly anticipated awards ceremony as the football world waits to discover who will take home the top individual prize.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26. The event will bring together some of the biggest names in football as the winners of the various awards are revealed.
With established stars such as Messi, Mbappe and Haaland competing alongside the next generation led by Yamal, the ceremony is expected to attract significant attention from fans around the world.
