Barcelona star Raphinha has been surprisingly left off the 30-man list of contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, but Anderson has told GOAL that his fellow Brazilian would miss out on a “top three” finish regardless. The South American forward has been posting Ronaldo-esque goal numbers at the start of 2026-27, but does not find himself in the running for a prestigious Golden Ball.
Barcelona forward Gabriel Jesus has tipped teenage sensation Lamine Yamal to capture the Ballon d'Or while drawing stylistic parallels with Brazilian icon Neymar. The newly arrived striker believes his Camp Nou team-mate possesses unique generational qualities capable of guiding him to global individual honours at this month's gala in London.
Ansu Fati is closing in on his long-awaited return to competitive football for Monaco this weekend after overcoming a frustrating calf problem sustained during pre-season. The Spanish forward could make his first official appearance of the campaign against Toulouse at Stade Louis-II, handing his side a major boost ahead of a demanding fixture schedule.
Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez has taken drastic action regarding his off-field representation following a summer defined by transfer uncertainty. The Argentina international has officially split with his long-term agent as he looks to rebuild his relationship with the Spanish giants.
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