According to AS, Real Sociedad captain Oyarzabal has been left out of the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
Oyarzabal was surprisingly left out of the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or published by French football magazine France Football. Oyarzabal scored in the Copa del Rey final, helping Real Sociedad win the title, and played a crucial role for the Spanish national team, being their top scorer in the European Championship.
This omission contrasts with the inclusion of other players on the list. Those selected include Sadio Mane, who plays for Al-Nassr in the Saudi league, and Julian Quiniones, who plays for Al-Qadisiyah. The list also includes Lionel Messi, currently playing for Inter Miami, as well as Juan Cucurella and Ferran Torres. Messi was included based on Argentina's outstanding performance at the World Cup.
Oyarzabal's omission wasn't the only notable omission in this list. Players like Pedri, Rafinha, and Due also failed to make the final shortlist, while Unai Simon and David Raya were also left out of the 30-man squad.
Oyarzabal scored 18 goals for Real Sociedad and 14 for the Spanish national team last season, including 5 in international competitions, equaling the historical record set by Emilio Butragueño and David Villa. However, these achievements were not considered in the final shortlist for the Ballon d'Or.
No Real Sociedad player has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or since 2003. In 2003, Nihat Kahveć and Darko Kovacevic were shortlisted after Real Sociedad finished as runners-up in the league. The Ballon d'Or will be awarded in London at 5:00 AM Beijing time on October 27th.
