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Dembélé, Kane and Mbappé headline shortlist for Ballon d’Or, Putellas leads women’s contenders

PUBLISHED Sep 8, 2026, 12:08 PM ET

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Dembélé, Kane and Mbappé headline shortlist for Ballon d’Or, Putellas leads women’s contenders

Media Bias Meter

Sources: 19

Left 5%

Center 89%

Right 5%

Sources: 19

France Football magazine has unveiled its shortlists for the men and women Ballon dOr awards, highlighting top international football stars. Reigning men winner Ousmane Dembele joins Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe among the primary contenders following standout domestic and international performances. In the womens category, two time winner Alexia Putellas leads the favorites alongside Ewa Pajor and Melchie Dumornay. Three-time reigning winner Aitana Bonmati missed selection due to an injury absence, despite returning to help Barcelona secure a Champions League title. Veteran Lionel Messi also earned a shortlist nomination after capturing an MLS title with Inter Miami and guiding Argentina to a World Cup runner-up finish. Nominees for both categories will discover the official winners during an awards ceremony scheduled for October 26 in London. The annual global accolade recognizes exceptional individual performance across club and international football competitions throughout the preceding season.

By Michael Grant | JQJO News

Timeline of Events

On August 1 2025 Ousmane Dembele claimed his consecutive Champions League title.
On August 15 2025 Kylian Mbappe surpassed Lionel Messi for World Cup goals.
On September 1 2025 Harry Kane completed a remarkable seventy three goal season.
On May 24 2026 Aitana Bonmati returned from injury for Barcelona quadruple.
On June 1 2026 Lionel Messi secured Major League Soccer title with Miami.
On June 15 2026 Spain defeated France during World Cup semifinal match.
On July 15 2026 Argentina finished as World Cup tournament runners-up.
On September 8 2026 France Football published official men and women award shortlists.
On October 26 2026 official award winners will be announced in London ceremony.
On November 1 2026 victors will begin defending respective titles in upcoming competitions.

News Intelligence

Immediate US impact: Immediate US impact involves heightened interest in Major League Soccer players.
Possible long-term US impact: Long term US impact includes increased broadcast viewership for international soccer competitions.
Most affected groups: Most affected groups include global soccer fans, professional players, and sports media.
Reader priority: Readers should prioritize official sports announcements and verified journalism coverage outlets.

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 19
Right Leaning:: 1
Left Leaning:: 1
Neutral:: 17

Explain Framing

Left: Highlighted equity representation and womens football competitive milestone achievements. Center: Focused objectively on official nominee statistics and tournament performance metrics. Right: Emphasized individual player achievements, club success, and goalscoring records.