Here are the Latine Nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Awards
Credit: AP Photo/Jose Breton
The nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or have been announced, and the sport’s top individual honor includes several players from our communities—on both the men’s and women’s sides.
On the men’s list, the countries represented include Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, and Mexico—nations that performed strongly at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Colombia’s lone nominee is Luis Díaz (Bayern München). Ecuador is represented by Willian Pacho (Paris Saint-Germain), while Mexico’s only nominee is Julián Quiñones (Al-Qadsiah).
Brazil has three names in the men’s Top 30: Gabriel (Arsenal), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), and Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid). Argentina has two: Lautaro Martínez (Inter) and Lionel Messi (Inter Miami).
On the women’s side, Mexican Scarlett Camberos (Club América), Haitian Melchie Dumornay (OL Lyonnes), and Brazilian Lorena (Kansas City Current) are the only nominees from our communities.
There’s one Latino nominee for men’s goalkeeper of the year—Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa/Chelsea)—and one for women’s goalkeeper of the year: Lorena (Kansas City Current). Two Latin American clubs also appear in the club of the year awards: Flamengo on the men’s side and Club América on the women’s side.
The winner of the men’s 2025 Ballon d’Or was Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé, while Aitana Bonmatí of Spain secured her third consecutive Ballon d’Or Féminin. Lionel Messi holds the men’s record with eight Ballon d’Or awards.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or gala will be held on Monday, October 26, at the London Palladium Theatre in London, England.