Arsenal trio named among world's best as 30-man Ballon d'Or shortlist revealed

Arsenal trio William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice have been named among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or.

The shortlist was announced on Tuesday ahead of the awards ceremony on October 26, providing further recognition for Arsenal’s outstanding 2025/26 campaign.

Arsenal ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title and also reached the Champions League final, with Saliba, Gabriel and Rice all playing important roles in that success.

Rice is the only member of the trio returning from last year’s Arsenal contingent, having finished 27th in the 2025 voting.

The England international was one of Arsenal’s most consistent performers during their championship season, appearing in 37 of their 38 Premier League matches and playing more league minutes than any other Gunners outfielder.

Rice also led Arsenal for ball recoveries per 90 minutes and covered 391.1 kilometres across the league campaign, highlighting his importance at the heart of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s midfield.

Saliba and Gabriel’s inclusion provides considerable recognition for the defensive foundation behind Arsenal’s success.

The Gunners conceded just 27 Premier League goals, eight fewer than the next-best defence, while their Champions League record was even more impressive.

Arsenal allowed only seven goals across 15 matches during their run to the final, the best defensive record in last season’s competition.

Gabriel kept 17 Premier League clean sheets, more than any other defender, while Arsenal conceded only once every 138 minutes when the Brazilian was on the pitch.

Saliba, meanwhile, was dribbled past only seven times during the league campaign and Arsenal won 71 per cent of the matches in which the Frenchman featured.

The three Gunners face formidable competition for football’s most prestigious individual honour.

Defending winner Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi are among the other players included on the 30-man shortlist.

Paris Saint-Germain dominate the nominations with several representatives after retaining the Champions League, while Arsenal are the only English club with three players on the list.

The individual nominations form part of wider recognition for Arsenal at this year’s awards, with Arteta nominated for Men’s Coach of the Year and David Raya shortlisted for the Goalkeeper of the Year prize.

Arsenal themselves are also among the five nominees for Men’s Club of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the London Palladium on October 26, when the Ballon d’Or ceremony is staged in London for the first time in its 70-year history.

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