Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina, has been nominated for the coveted Ballon d’Or this year. Besides him, Lionel Messi also received his 17th nomination, with the two leading the 30-man Ballon d’Or list revealed on Tuesday. Torres has since joined the Champions League winners, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and is one of six Spanish World Cup winners, including Rodri and teen sensation Lamine Yamal, to make the cut. Yamal finished second behind France and PSG forward Ousmane Dembele for the ultimate prize last season. &nbsp;Amongst women’s nominations, three-time winner Aitana Bonmatí failed to make the list after breaking her leg midway through the season; however, her former Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas, who won the women’s Ballon d’Or in 2021 and 2022, is there. &nbsp;Spanish forward Torres also won La Liga with Barcelona in May, but will now team up with Dembele, who is one of nine PSG players on the list, who have also won back-to-back Champions Leagues in the last two years. Torres’s summer move to PSG brings the French champions’ total to 10 nominees.&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-mourinho-makes-winning-comeback-as-real-madrid-beat-inter-milan-1788922260426">Champions League: Mourinho makes winning comeback as Real Madrid beat Inter Milan</a> &nbsp;However, Fabian Ruiz is the only player to have won the Champions League and World Cup in 2026. Besides them, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the Portuguese midfield pair of Vitinha and Joao Neves have also been nominated for the top individual prize in all of football this year.<h2>Messi nominated for 17th time</h2>2022 World Cup winner and record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, continued to lead nominations for the 17th time for his prize, while his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo missed out. Messi inspired Argentina to back-to-back World Cup finals before losing to Spain in extra time in what was a lopsided final in New Jersey. &nbsp;Other high-profile names include England captain and talismanic striker Harry Kane, who won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. His German club teammate and French playmaker Michael Olise has also been nominated. &nbsp;Real Madrid and England midfield maverick, Jude Bellingham, also earned his nomination for a stellar World Cup, scoring seven goals – as many as Norwegian striker and fellow nominee Erling Haaland’s tally at the tournament. Only Messi (eight) and Kylian Mbappe (10) scored more goals than them. &nbsp;Bellingham’s Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappé also features on the shortlist after becoming the first player to win the World Cup golden boot a second time, while also leading the tournament’s all-time tally. &nbsp;Interestingly, Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper from Cape Verde, who earned recognition for his heroics in his maiden World Cup, has also been nominated for the Yachine Trophy (goalkeeper category).&nbsp; &nbsp;The winners will be announced in a ceremony at the London Palladium Theatre on October 26.

Lionel Messi earns his 17th Ballon d’Or nomination alongside Spain World Cup hero Ferran Torres as the 2026 30-man shortlist is revealed.

Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal for Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina, has been nominated for the coveted Ballon d’Or this year. Besides him, Lionel Messi also received his 17th nomination, with the two leading the 30-man Ballon d’Or list revealed on Tuesday. Torres has since joined the Champions League winners, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), and is one of six Spanish World Cup winners, including Rodri and teen sensation Lamine Yamal, to make the cut. Yamal finished second behind France and PSG forward Ousmane Dembele for the ultimate prize last season. Amongst women’s nominations, three-time winner Aitana Bonmatí failed to make the list after breaking her leg midway through the season; however, her former Barcelona teammate Alexia Putellas, who won the women’s Ballon d’Or in 2021 and 2022, is there. Spanish forward Torres also won La Liga with Barcelona in May, but will now team up with Dembele, who is one of nine PSG players on the list, who have also won back-to-back Champions Leagues in the last two years. Torres’s summer move to PSG brings the French champions’ total to 10 nominees. Also read| Champions League: Mourinho makes winning comeback as Real Madrid beat Inter Milan However, Fabian Ruiz is the only player to have won the Champions League and World Cup in 2026. Besides them, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and the Portuguese midfield pair of Vitinha and Joao Neves have also been nominated for the top individual prize in all of football this year. Messi nominated for 17th time 2022 World Cup winner and record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, continued to lead nominations for the 17th time for his prize, while his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo missed out. Messi inspired Argentina to back-to-back World Cup finals before losing to Spain in extra time in what was a lopsided final in New Jersey. Other high-profile names include England captain and talismanic striker Harry Kane, who won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich. His German club teammate and French playmaker Michael Olise has also been nominated. Real Madrid and England midfield maverick, Jude Bellingham, also earned his nomination for a stellar World Cup, scoring seven goals – as many as Norwegian striker and fellow nominee Erling Haaland’s tally at the tournament. Only Messi (eight) and Kylian Mbappe (10) scored more goals than them. Bellingham’s Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappé also features on the shortlist after becoming the first player to win the World Cup golden boot a second time, while also leading the tournament’s all-time tally. Interestingly, Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper from Cape Verde, who earned recognition for his heroics in his maiden World Cup, has also been nominated for the Yachine Trophy (goalkeeper category). The winners will be announced in a ceremony at the London Palladium Theatre on October 26.

Lionel Messi earns his 17th Ballon d’Or nomination alongside Spain World Cup hero Ferran Torres as the 2026 30-man shortlist is revealed.

Ballon d’Or 2026 Nominees: World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Ferran Torres shortlisted

A remarkable chapter in FIFA World Cup history has come to an end as Bayern Munich will have no player in the World Cup final for the first time since 1982. The club's extraordinary 44-year streak, spanning 11 consecutive World Cups, ended after England and Bayern striker Harry Kane were eliminated from the tournament. Meanwhile, Inter Milan continues its impressive record, extending its run of having at least one player feature in the World Cup final for a 12th straight tournament. The historic milestone highlights the lasting influence of Europe's biggest clubs on football's greatest stage.

Bayern Munich's 44-year FIFA World Cup final streak ends | Inter Milan extends historic record

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Ballon d’Or 2026 Nominees: World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Ferran Torres shortlisted

Bayern Munich's 44-year FIFA World Cup final streak ends | Inter Milan extends historic record