Sadio Mane finished 29th in the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting, sharing the position with France and Arsenal defender William Saliba.

The Al Nassr forward, who was named the best player at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, was included among the 30 nominees for the prestigious individual award. However, his final ranking was well below the heights he reached in previous years.

Mane’s nomination marked his return to the Ballon d’Or shortlist after a four-year absence. At 34, the Senegal international was recognised for his contributions at club level and for his performances with the Senegal national team, the Lions of Teranga.

During the previous season, the former Liverpool player scored 14 goals and provided nine assists in 34 appearances for Al Nassr. Those figures reflected his continued attacking influence and his ability to remain decisive despite advancing age.

He also played a central role in Senegal’s campaign at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where he was voted the tournament’s best player. That achievement further underlined his importance to the national side and helped secure his place among the Ballon d’Or contenders.

A return to the world’s leading players

Mane’s 29th-place finish was confirmed ahead of the announcement of the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner in London on Monday evening. Despite his club statistics and continental success with Senegal, he was unable to challenge for a place near the top of the standings.

The result contrasts with his previous Ballon d’Or campaigns. Mane finished 22nd in 2018 before claiming third place in 2019, the highest position of his career at that point. He went one better in 2022, finishing second and reinforcing his status as one of the leading players in world football.

Given his output for Al Nassr and his success with Senegal, Mane could have hoped for a higher position this year. The award, however, reflects individual performances across the whole season, with competition for places among the nominees remaining particularly strong.

His 29th-place finish does not diminish his influence or his career achievements. More significantly, the nomination represented Mane’s return to the group of the world’s leading players after four years away.

It also offered recognition for a player who came close to winning the Ballon d’Or in 2022, when he finished second, but has never claimed football’s most prestigious individual prize.