The Ballon d'Or: notable absence of a duo who contributed heavily to Paris Saint-Germain's achievement

Paris the most represented on the list of nominees

Several standout players were left off the list of nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, announced today, Tuesday, by "France Football" magazine in cooperation with UEFA.

The French website "Foot Mercato" called it one of the biggest surprises of the shortlist. Paris Saint-Germain boast a record number of players among the nominees, yet two of their stars from last season are strangely missing.

Bradley Barcola and Désiré Doué did not make the cut for the individual award, despite an outstanding season with the Parisian club.

Doué's record is remarkable: 28 matches as a starter out of 41, 13 goals and 11 assists with Paris, for a total of 24 contributions.

The French winger added another 3 goals and two assists with the French national team.

Those numbers carry even more weight given the fierce competition he faced for the attacking positions at Paris Saint-Germain.

His importance in the Champions League is clear in the data. He scored 5 goals and provided 4 assists in 13 matches in the European competition.

The statistics reveal even more beyond goals and assists. Doué covered the greatest distance in a single match for Paris Saint-Germain in both the French league and the Champions League, proof of his commitment to high pressing, tracking back to defend and attacking runs.

Barcola's absence is just as striking. The former Saint-Germain man, now at Liverpool, managed 13 goals and 7 assists with Paris last season, all for a team that has just retained its European title.

How do key players like these vanish from the list entirely in a side that won the Champions League once again?

The list of nominees featured 10 players who turned out last season for Paris Saint-Germain, who dominated at home and in Europe.