The organisers of the prestigious Ballon d’Or award have announced the 30 players nominated for this year’s prize, but the absence of Barcelona winger Raphinha has prompted widespread surprise among supporters.
A report published by respected football website Goal highlighted the Brazilian’s omission as one of the most notable aspects of the nominations. The article’s authors questioned why Raphinha had not been included among the leading candidates for the award.
That view was quickly echoed on social media, where many fans struggled to understand how the Barcelona player could miss out on the top 30. Their reaction focused particularly on Raphinha’s standing in the previous Ballon d’Or voting, when he finished fifth in 2025.
Raphinha had also made clear that he believed he deserved to win the award. His previous position in the voting, combined with that personal assessment, has added to the reaction surrounding his exclusion from the latest list.
The 30-player announcement includes Messi, but Raphinha is not among the nominees. As a result, discussion around the award has centred not only on who was selected, but also on the players left out.
The Ballon d’Or is regarded as one of football’s most prestigious individual honours, and inclusion on the nomination list is itself a significant recognition. For Raphinha, however, the latest announcement represents a sharp contrast with his fifth-place finish in the 2025 voting.
Fans have therefore questioned the reasoning behind the list, with many arguing that the Barcelona winger’s absence is difficult to explain. Their comments reflect the difference between his recent position among the leading contenders and his failure to feature among the 30 names announced by the organisers.
Goal’s report drew attention to the issue soon after the nominations were revealed on Tuesday. The publication specifically identified Raphinha’s omission, while supporters used social media to express their agreement with that assessment.
The reaction does not alter the official list, which contains 30 nominees and includes Messi. However, it has ensured that Raphinha’s absence is among the most discussed elements of the announcement.
For now, the main talking point from Tuesday’s nominations is not simply which players made the Ballon d’Or list. It is also why a Barcelona winger who finished fifth in the previous vote, and who believed he should have won the prize, was not selected this time.