Ballon d’Or 2026: 10 nominees for Best Young Player, including 3 Africans!

Ibrahim Maza, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Yan Diomandé will represent Africa among the ten nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Best Young Player award.

The official Ballon d’Or account unveiled the ten players shortlisted for the 2025-26 Best Young Player award on Tuesday. Africa will ultimately be represented by three players: Algeria international Ibrahim Maza, Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi and Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomandé. All three will be hoping to succeed Lamine Yamal, who won the award in 2025. The winner will be announced on October 26 in London during the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Ibrahim Maza rewarded after confirming his talent at Leverkusen

At 20, Maza has just completed a highly convincing first season with Bayer Leverkusen. The Algerian made 44 appearances in all competitions during the 2025-26 season, scoring five goals and providing six assists. Under contract until June 2030, the attacking midfielder also used the World Cup to take another step forward. Maza had already emerged as one of the best dribblers at the 2026 World Cup, completing 14 successful dribbles over the course of the tournament.

Ayyoub Bouaddi’s rapid rise leads all the way to Manchester City

Bouaddi has experienced an even more spectacular rise. After making 96 appearances for LOSC Lille since his professional debut, the 18-year-old Moroccan joined Manchester City at the end of August. His 2025-26 campaign confirmed his profile as a controlling midfielder, capable of contributing both in ball recovery and in build-up play. His World Cup performances, particularly against Brazil, further enhanced his reputation.

Yan Diomandé, from Bundesliga revelation to Real Madrid

Africa’s third representative, Yan Diomandé, is also coming off an outstanding 2025-26 campaign. The 19-year-old Ivorian winger scored 12 goals and provided eight assists in 33 Bundesliga matches with RB Leipzig before joining Real Madrid during the summer. He was also named the Bundesliga’s Rookie of the Season. Quick, direct and particularly dangerous in one-on-one situations, Diomandé has become one of the most exciting attacking prospects in European football.

An award that rewards performances across the entire season

The nomination is therefore not based solely on the World Cup. France Football considers performances from August 3, 2025 to July 19, 2026, including international competitions. The criteria prioritise individual performances and decisiveness, followed by collective achievements, then class and fair play.

The three African nominees also offer very different profiles. Maza stands out for his creativity between the lines and his dribbling, Bouaddi for his ability to control the tempo and his presence in midfield, while Diomandé brings pace, directness and efficiency in the final third. Their simultaneous presence among the ten nominees therefore rewards three of Africa’s biggest young breakthroughs of the 2025-26 season.

Read also : Ballon d’Or 2026: 10 nominees revealed for the Best Goalkeeper award, including 3 Africans!

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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