History is in Harry Kane’s sights.The English superstar made the cut as the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d’Or was announced.Kane finished with the European Golden Shoe last season, given to the player with the most goals across all top flight divisions across EuropeGettyKane is widely considered to be one of the favourites for the award following a remarkable season where he slammed home 61 goals for Bayern Munich and another six at the World Cup for England.Should Kane win the award, he will become the first English player to do so since Michael Owen in 2001.However, the 33-year-old faces fierce competition to take out football’s most coveted individual prize.World Cup winner Lamine Yamal is another who figures as a hot contender.The Barcelona whiz is gunning to become the youngest player to win the Ballon d’Or, with the record belonging to Brazilian icon Ronaldo who took home the gong aged 21 years, three months and five days in 1997.Given he’s only 19, Yamal would comfortably usurp Ronaldo at the top of the list.There is also a remarkably heavy Paris Saint-Germain presence in the shortlist, too.Ousmane Dembele, who won the Ballon d’Or last year, is among a staggering 10 PSG players to feature, meaning they make up a third of the nominations.The Parisians’ lengthy list of nominees is a Ballon d’Or record for the most players from a single club to be shortlisted.Funnily enough, PSG broke their own record, having had nine on the shortlist in 2025.PSG’s record-breaking Ballon d’Or nominations reflect their dominance on the field as they won back-to-back Champions League titlesGettyManchester United superstar Bruno Fernandes also found himself on the shortlist following a stunning campaign that earned him multiple accolades, including the Football Writers’ Association’s men’s Footballer of the Year.Fernandes set a Premier League record last season when he notched 21 assists, helping the Red Devils secure a return to the Champions League.And, as is often the case, a number of surprise names have made the cut.Sadio Mane, who plies his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr, is one inclusion that may have raised a few eyebrows.The 34-year-old registered 23 goal contributions for Al Nassr last term and also led Senegal to glory in the Africa Cup of Nations, although their status as champions was controversially stripped and instead handed to Morocco following a farcical end to the final.Mexican star Julian Quinones is another of the Saudi Arabian contingent to have made the cut.Quinones scored the most goals for World Cup co-hosts Mexico, having already scooped up the Saudi Pro League Golden BootGettyQuinones scored an absurd 37 goals in 35 games for Saudi side Al Qadsiah last term along with four goals and an assist for Mexico at this summer’s World Cup.This year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony takes place on October 26 in London.2026 Ballon d'Or shortlistJude BellinghamPau CubarsiMarc CucurellaOusmane DembeleLuis DiazBruno FernandesGabrielErling HaalandAchraf HakimiHarry KaneKhvicha KvaratskheliaLamine YamalSadio ManeMarquinhosLautaro MartinezKylian MbappeNuno MendesLionel MessiJoao NevesMichael OliseWillian PachoJulián QuiñonesDeclan RiceRodriFabian RuizWilliam SalibaFerran TorresDayot UpamecanoVinicius JrVitinha