Kompany, Courtois and Wullaert among Ballon d'Or nominees

Kompany, Courtois and Wullaert are at the heart of the nominations: the Belgian Vincent Kompany is among the five coaches nominated for the Best Coach Trophy, Thibaut Courtois for the Lev Yashin and Tessa Wullaert for the Women's Ballon d'Or, at the ceremony on October 26.

A historic first for Belgian football

Vincent Kompany, former defender of Manchester City, becomes the first Belgian to be selected among the five coaches for the Year Trophy. The nomination, announced by France Football, highlights the rise of Belgian football on the international stage.

Belgian goalkeepers and forwards also recognised

Thibaut Courtois, thirty‑four years old, joins the ten goalkeepers nominated for the Lev Yashin, the goalkeeper of the year award. He and Real Madrid have not won any trophy in 2026, but he is still regarded as one of the best in his position.

Tessa Wullaert, thirty‑three years old, is for the first time since the award's creation in 2018 nominated for the Women's Ballon d'Or. Six‑time Belgian Golden Shoe winner, she shone with Inter Milan before joining Como, where she surpassed one hundred goals with the Red Flames.

A nominations table dominated by Spain

The thirty nominees for the 2026 France Football Ballon d'Or, revealed this Tuesday, include many Spanish players: Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella, Lamine Yamal, Fabian Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Rodri, the 2024 winner. Yamal, the favourite, will have to outshine PSG stars such as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembé, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Willian Pacho, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, Achraf Hakimi and the trophy holder Ousmane Dembé.

Among the other big names, Lionel Messi, thirty‑nine years old, is among the thirty candidates, as is the Argentine Lautaro Martinez. Harry Kane is often mentioned as a Ballon d'Or contender despite not having won the World Cup or the Champions League.

The Belgian context and the outlook

This is a major first for Belgian football: no Belgian appears among the thirty candidates for the supreme trophy, but the presence of Kompany, Courtois and Wullaert shows the country's rise in power. All observers note that the competition remains very open.

The Ballon d'Or ceremony, which will take place in London, will also present the Lev Yashin on the same evening. The presence of these three Belgian figures enhances the visibility of Belgian football on the global stage.