Salah Snubbed Again — for the Second Time

Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah is missing from the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, a second snub after also being left out in 2024, the year Rodri won the award. The omission follows a season that fell short of his usual standards at Liverpool, after which he moved on to Turkish side Trabzonspor.

A season without shine

Salah made 41 appearances across all competitions for Liverpool, scoring just 12 goals (seven of them in the Premier League) — a sharp drop from the previous campaign, when he finished with 34 goals in 52 matches. He also failed to win any collective silverware with the club this season, a factor that typically weighs heavily against any Ballon d'Or contender.

Salah's history with the award

The snub is not entirely surprising given his track record with the trophy over the years: 6th in 2018, then 5th in 2019 after winning the Champions League, 7th in 2021, 5th again in 2022, before dropping to 11th in 2023. His best-ever finish came in 2025, when he placed 4th after winning the Premier League title, before missing out entirely in both 2024 and 2026.

Is the dream over?

Even his run with Egypt at the World Cup, where the Pharaohs reached the round of 16 for the first time in their history, did not translate into standout individual numbers — just one goal and two assists in five matches. At 34, and now playing in Turkey's Süper Lig far from Europe's biggest stages, the Ballon d'Or dream looks further away than ever for the Egyptian star.

Key facts

• Mohamed Salah misses out on the 2026 Ballon d'Or, a second snub after 2024.
• Just 12 goals in 41 matches for Liverpool, with no collective trophy.
• His best-ever Ballon d'Or finish remains 4th place in 2025.
• He joined Trabzonspor after leaving Liverpool.