William Saliba has been ranked joint-29th in the Ballon d'Or 2026 standings, a placement that has drawn criticism from Arsenal supporters on social media.
The French defender was one of three Arsenal players on the 30-man shortlist, alongside central defensive partner Gabriel, who received his first nomination, and midfielder Declan Rice.
Saliba played a key role in helping Arsenal win their first Premier League title in over 20 years and reach a first Champions League final since 2006. Despite those achievements, he did not crack the top 20 or the top 10.
Ranking Reveal and Reaction
The rankings were revealed hours before the Ballon d'Or 2026 ceremony in London. Saliba came in at joint-29th with Sadio Mane, formerly of Liverpool and now of Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
According to the Ballon d'Or website, Saliba's performances helped Arsenal secure 26 clean sheets last season. The site also noted this is his second Ballon d'Or nomination and that he was born in Bondy, France, the same hometown as Kylian Mbappe, where both were coached at AS Bondy by Mbappe's father.
Many Arsenal supporters took to social media to express that Saliba should have been ranked higher, with some calling the placement an embarrassment.
Arsenal's Ballon d'Or Finishes
Saliba's club team-mates Gabriel and Declan Rice finished 21st and 15th respectively, meaning no Arsenal player will finish in the top 10 of this year's Ballon d'Or.
The men's Ballon d'Or 2026 ranking from 12th to 29th was: Pau Cubarsi (12th), Achraf Hakimi (13th), Vitinha (14th), Declan Rice (15th), Ferran Torres (16th), Vinicius Jr. (17th), Marc Cucurella (18th), Joao Neves (19th), Willian Pacho (20th), Gabriel (21st), Lautaro Martinez (22nd), Nuno Mendes (23rd), Luis Diaz (24th), Marquinhos (25th), Dayot Upamecano (26th), Bruno Fernandes (27th), Julian Quinones (28th), and William Saliba and Sadio Mane (joint-29th).
