RIYADH (Saudi Arabia): Following a competitive year for the Saudi Pro League (SPL) in the 2025/26 season, the league’s standout international stars have been recognised by France Football with the inclusion of the Roshn Saudi League (RSL) golden boot winner Julian Quinones and league champion Sadio Mane in the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Mexico forward Quinones was the breakout star for the host nation at this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring the opening goal of the tournament in Mexico City, before following it up with a string of impressive performances - and three more goals - as his side reached the Round of 16.
Quinones had carried his RSL form onto football’s global showpiece, underlining his remarkable ability to find the back of the net with Al Qadsiah, where he landed the league’s golden boot with 33 goals. With a hat-trick in the final day of the 2025-26 season, Quinones edged out fellow international stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Ivan Toney to secure the award.
Referencing the Ballon d’Or nomination after he scored in Al Qadsiah’s 3-2 victory against Al Ahli on Tuesday night, Quinones said: “I’m very proud to have achieved this. I’ve worked hard for this moment and now it has happened.
“God’s timing is always perfect. I just try to keep working hard, improving and being the best I can be.”
Fellow RSL standout Mane played a pivotal role in Al Nassr’s 2025/26 RSL title triumph, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists as the Riyadh-based club secured its first league title since 2019. Mane also captained Senegal in two major tournaments, helping his nation reach the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and also the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Asked about his Ballon d’Or nod, Mane said following Al Nassr’s 2-1 home victory against Abha on Wednesday night: “The feeling is incredible. I would say thank you to the fans and, of course, to the journalists.
“I know many players could have been on the list for sure, especially from the Saudi Pro League. But yeah, this is the vote. So I would say thank you again.”
Also, two of the RSL premier shot-stoppers, Yassine Bounou of Al Hilal and Morocco, and Edouard Mendy of Al Ahli and Senegal, were nominated for the illustrious Lev Yashin trophy. Awarded to the world’s best goalkeeper in honour of Yashin’s 1963 Ballon D’Or victory - the only No. 1 in history to achieve the feat - the 2026 nominations were further evidence of the RSL’s emergence on the global football scene.
Bounou enjoyed a stellar campaign with Al Hilal and his country, winning the domestic King’s Cup and reaching the final of the African Cup of Nations at international level. This is his fourth nomination for the prestigious trophy, with the 2023-24 RSL Golden Glove winner earning back-to-back recognition in 2025 and 2026 respectively.
For Mendy, the Senegal goalkeeper earns his third nod for the award, following his remarkable year in which the Al Ahli captain captured the AFC Champions League Elite for the second straight season alongside his prize for the 2025-26 SPL’s Best Goalkeeper. PR
