Four Portuguese dream ‘imitate’ Eusébio, Figo and CR7 in the Golden Ball

O pSG trio, two-time European champion, and the best English League player of the last season integrate a lot of 30 names, in which stands out the Argentine Lionel Messi, from the Americans of Inter Miami, player who most often raised the trophy, for eight occasions, and who comes from an excellent campaign, the best of career, in the World Cup.

Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves and Bruno Fernandes ‘dream’ everyone in London become only the fourth player in the history of Portuguese football to receive such an ‘honor’, repeating the feat of Eusébio (1965), Luís Figo (2000) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017)

The Frenchman Ousmane Dembelé, also of the PSG and winner of the last Golden Ball, repeats the nomination, in a list with broad prominence for players of the French club, but also for world champions by Spain, such as Pau Cubasí, Marc Cucurella, Rodri, Fabián Ruiz, Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres.

The English Harry Kane of Bayern Munich, the French advanced Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid, are also in the race with real hopes, as well as the Norwegian Erling Haaland of Manchester City, though as a true ‘outsider’.

One of the surprises appears in the award for best goalkeeper, with Cape Verdean Vozinha, a 40-year-old veteran and practically an ‘unknown’ before the World Cup2026, entering among the elect, due to the campaign he conducted with the ‘blue sharks’ in the race that took place last summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Luis de la Fuente, who led Spain to conquer the last World Cup, Unai Emery, winner of the Europa League at the helm of Aston Villa, Vincent Kompany, coach of Bayern Munich, and Luis Enrique, coach of PSG, are the names that will fight for the coach's reward.

The PSG also appears as a favorite to the best club 'cetro', against the winner finalist of the Champions League and the English champion, the Arsenal of England, the German champion Bayern Munich, the champion of Flamengo Brazil and the Bodo/Glimt of Norway, the sensational team of the last edition of the ‘Champions’.

On the female side, the Spanish player Aitana Bonmati (FC Barcelona), winner of the Women's Gold Ball in 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25, was off the list of 30 nominees, which includes his countryman Alexia Putellas (FC Barcelona/London City Lionesses), who snatched the prize in 2021/2022 and 2021.

Bayern Munich, FC Barcelona, Manchester City, Club America and OL Lyonnes compete for the women's emblem prize of the time, while Pere Romeo (FC Barcelona), Nils Nielsen (Japan), Andrée Jeglertz (Manchester City), Jonathan Giraldez (OL Lyonnes) and Elena Sadiku (Hacken) then in the race the best coach/trainer in women's football.

This trophy is awarded by France Football magazine, responsible for the Golden Ball, and distinguishes the best of the season in football, and the period under review covers the entire season 2025/26, from August 3, 2025 to July 19, 2026, including the major international competitions, such as the World2026.

The ceremony of the 70th edition will for the first time take place outside Paris, with the London Palladium Theatre hosting the world football elite at an event that begins at 8:00 p.m.

This year, France Football launched the ‘B.O.A.T’ (best Golden Ball of all time), which aims to elect the best season ever among the football players who were at least twice the winner of the prize, which it had in 1956 and had the Englishman Stanley Matthews as the winner.

In this list, appears Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but also figures such as Alfredo Di Stéfano, Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten and Brazilian Ronaldo.

The vote will be held exclusively online by fans until 27 October, with the possibility of winning two tickets to the 2027 Golden Ball ceremony, and there will be no official award.