Mane and Quinones shortlisted for 2026 Ballon d'Or as Bono and Mendy chase goalkeeper prize | OneFootball

Roshn Saudi League forwards Sadio Mane and Julian Quinones have been shortlisted for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, with Yassine Bono and Edouard Mendy in contention for Best Goalkeeper. According to spl.com.sa, the 30-player list was confirmed on Tuesday.

Mane’s year has already brought the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, then Al Nassr’s 2025-26 league title, their first in seven years. He contributed 10 goals and six assists.

The Mexico forward made the shortlist alongside Mane after finishing as the RSL’s leading scorer with 33, his final-day hat-trick taking him past Ivan Toney, despite Al Qadsiah placing fourth.

He then took that form into the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring the tournament’s first goal on home soil and two more as Mexico reached the last 16. After netting in Al Qadsiah’s 3-2 win over Al Ahli on Tuesday night, Quinones said he was proud of the nomination and that he would keep working to improve.

They face competition from Lionel Messi, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane. The winner, marking the award’s 70th anniversary, will be named in London on October 26.

Al Hilal’s Bono and Al Ahli’s Mendy are among 10 nominees for the goalkeeper honour. Mendy won the Africa Cup of Nations and captained Al Ahli to back-to-back AFC Champions League Elite titles, while Bono lifted the 2025-26 King’s Cup, went unbeaten in the league to finish runners-up and helped Morocco reach the World Cup quarter-finals.

Source: spl.com.sa

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