The Ballon d’Or does not always reflect what happened over the course of the season and often strays from the justice that the pitch actually showed.

In 2026, with the weight of the World Cup, a competition lasting only a month and eight matches, that is even more the case. Here are the three biggest injustices of a ceremony marked by Harry Kane’s triumph.

THE 2026 RANKING FOR THE MEN'S BALLON D'OR IS OUT! #ballondor https://t.co/LYfoOUJf5j

— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) October 26, 2026

Arsenal players missing from the top 10

For the first time in 22 years, Arsenal won the Premier League. They also reached the Champions League final for only the second time in their more than century-long history. And yet, not one member of the side managed by Mikel Arteta finished among the 10 best players in the world.

Of course, the poor last season of Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, attacking players who tend to be more highly valued by individual awards, partly explains the absence. However, the level shown by Gabriel Magalhaes, 21st in the Ballon d’Or list, and Declan Rice, 15th, deserved the presence of at least one of them in the top 10.

Rodri and Lionel Messi, for example, only made the top 10 because of a single month: the period in which the World Cup was played.

Ferran Torres, Mane and Quinones in the top 30

The World Cup obviously affected the list and made some inclusions unjustifiable.

Julian Quinones, 28th, is the biggest example: he shone with four goals and one assist for Mexico in the tournament, taking the hosts to the quarter-finals. However, he plays for Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia, where he did not even win the league and, despite many goals scored, the football is considered below that of Europe’s top five leagues.

Sadio Mane, of Al-Nassr, 29th, is in for the same reason. He shone less than Quinones, but he won the Africa Cup of Nations, not counting the court ruling that handed the trophy to Morocco off the pitch, and the Saudi league. At the World Cup, he had an inconsistent tournament with Senegal.

Ferran Torres, 16th, is the biggest absurdity. The Spanish forward’s season, split between spells as a substitute and as a starter at Barcelona, ended with a goal in the World Cup final and the transformation of an ordinary player into a hero. But he was not even the first choice in his position for Spain, starting only one match in the campaign.

Federico Dimarco, the best player in the last Serie A, is one of the examples of players who had a great season and were left out of the list of 30 names.

Unai Simon was not the best goalkeeper in the world

It is contradictory, but the world champion goalkeeper was not the best of the past season, even though he conceded only one goal in the campaign and went seven matches without conceding.

Unai Simon was barely tested, with no memorable big save in the triumph, and only shone in his distribution and in anticipating danger.

Ironically, his understudy for Spain had a better season. David Raya produced a season of the highest level for English champions Arsenal, with decisive interventions, standout performances and a decisive role in the title and in reaching the European final.