The Portuguese footballers Nuno Mendes, Vitinha and João Neves, all from Paris Saint-Germain, and Bruno Fernandes, from Manchester United, are among the nominees for the Ballon d'Or of the 2025/26 season. The nomination was announced today, also including Argentine Lionel Messi, an eight-time winner of the award.
Nuno Mendes, Vitinha and João Neves represent Paris Saint-Germain on the list of candidates, showing the strong presence of Portuguese players at the French club. Bruno Fernandes is the only Portuguese player nominated outside PSG, highlighting his role at Manchester United.
This nomination comes in the context of the 2025/26 season, which is still ongoing. The Ballon d'Or is traditionally awarded to the best player in the world, based on their performance during the season.
Messi, who has already won the award eight times, appears again among the candidates, maintaining his presence among the world's best players despite no longer playing in Europe. The complete list of nominees also includes other players from various European leagues.
