The 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist features some of the biggest attacking names in world football, with Lionel Messi, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal among the 30 nominees for the men’s award.
The nominees were announced by France Football on September 8, with the ceremony scheduled to take place in London on October 26.
Among the attacking players on the shortlist, Harry Kane recorded the highest goal tally according to the official Ballon d’Or profiles, while Lionel Messi remains one of the leading players for combined goals and assists.
Harry Kane Leads the Goalscoring Numbers
Kane enjoyed a prolific 2025-26 campaign with Bayern Munich and England.
The official Ballon d’Or profile credits the England striker with 73 goals and eight assists in 65 matches, giving him 81 combined goal involvements. He also collected the Bundesliga, German Cup and German Super Cup with Bayern.
Kane’s 73 goals place him ahead of the other attacking nominees in the official statistics published for the award.
His nomination is also his eighth appearance on the Ballon d’Or shortlist.
Messi Among the Leading Creators and Scorers
Lionel Messi is another major name included among the 30 nominees.
The official Ballon d’Or profile records Messi with 49 matches, 45 goals and 30 assists, giving him 75 total goal involvements across the recorded campaign.
The figures underline Messi’s continued contribution in both scoring and chance creation.
The Argentine has already won the Ballon d’Or eight times, and his inclusion in the 2026 shortlist gives him another opportunity to compete for the individual award.
Mbappé and Haaland Also Feature Prominently
Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland are also among the leading goalscorers on the shortlist.
The official Ballon d’Or information lists Haaland with 58 goals and 11 assists in 64 matches. He won the FA Cup and EFL Cup with Manchester City during the campaign.
Mbappé is also among the leading attacking nominees, with 58 goals and 13 assists listed for his 2025-26 season.
Both forwards therefore enter the 2026 Ballon d’Or discussion with substantial scoring numbers.
Michael Olise Stands Out for Assists
Michael Olise provides one of the strongest creative profiles among the nominees.
Opta’s analysis of the 2025-26 campaign records Olise with 22 goals and 26 assists in 52 appearances, giving him 48 goal involvements. He was also the only player across Europe’s top five leagues to record at least 20 goals and 20 assists in all competitions, according to Opta.
The Bayern Munich winger’s creative numbers put him among the notable attacking contributors on the shortlist.
Other Attacking Nominees
Several other forwards and attacking players also recorded significant numbers during the 2025-26 campaign.
Luis Díaz finished the season with 30 goals and 23 assists, according to his official Ballon d’Or profile. Bruno Fernandes recorded 13 goals and 25 assists, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia registered 24 goals and 10 assists.
Julián Quiñones is another notable name, with the official figures crediting him with 41 goals and five assists.
The shortlist also includes Vinícius Júnior, Lamine Yamal, Lautaro Martínez, Ousmane Dembélé and Ferran Torres.
2026 Ballon d’Or Attacking Statistics
| Player | Goals | Assists | Total G+A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | 73 | 8 | 81 |
| Lionel Messi | 45 | 30 | 75 |
| Kylian Mbappé | 58 | 13 | 71 |
| Erling Haaland | 58 | 11 | 69 |
| Luis Díaz | 30 | 23 | 53 |
| Michael Olise | 22 | 26 | 48 |
| Julián Quiñones | 41 | 5 | 46 |
| Vinícius Júnior | 28 | 16 | 44 |
| Lamine Yamal | 25 | 20 | 45 |
| Lautaro Martínez | 30 | 11 | 41 |
| Ousmane Dembélé | 26 | 15 | 41 |
| Khvicha Kvaratskhelia | 24 | 10 | 34 |
| Bruno Fernandes | 13 | 25 | 38 |
| Ferran Torres | 25 | 7 | 32 |
Figures are based on the official Ballon d’Or nominee profiles where available; totals may differ from other statistical databases because of differences in competitions and counting methods.
When Will the 2026 Ballon d’Or Winner Be Announced?
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in London on October 26, 2026.
It will be the 70th edition of the award, with the ceremony moved from Paris to London for the anniversary of the first Ballon d’Or, which was won by Stanley Matthews in 1956.
Messi, Kane, Mbappé, Haaland, Yamal and the other nominees will therefore discover the final outcome at the ceremony in October.
For now, the official statistics provide a snapshot of the attacking production behind one of the most closely watched individual awards in football.
