One reaction from inside Barcelona was enough to ignite controversy after the announcement of the 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist. While the club celebrated having three of its stars included among the nominees, not everyone was satisfied with the outcome, particularly after certain names made the list while others were left out anded major questions.
But the real surprise was not only the shortlist itself. It was the way one of Barcelona’s most prominent officials chose to respond to the absence of two of the club’s key players. It was an extremely short response, but it carried plenty of sarcasm between the lines and quickly attracted attention because of what it appeared to say about the club’s view of the decision.
France Football announced the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, with three Barcelona players included: Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Pau Cubarsí. However, two of the club’s biggest stars, Pedri and Raphinha, w
Pedri’s omission in particular became one of the most surprising aspects of the shortlist, especially considering the Spanish midfielder’s influential season with Barcelona and Spain. He also helped secure both La Liga and the World Cup, yet his name was missing from the 30-man Ballon da was also left out despite his strong performances, making the omission of both players a major talking point in Barcelona, particularly with three other Blaugrana stars included among the official nomineeshe selections intensified, Barcelona sporting director Deco delivered an unusual response through his Instagram account. He commented on a post confirming the Ballon d’Or nominees with nothing but a series of laughing emojis: “😂😂😂😂😂”.
Although Deco did not write any direct words, his reaction came in the context of Pedri and Raphinha being left out, and was widely interstic response to the shortlist and the decision made by France Football. In doing so, the Barcelona director appeared to make his point without directly criticizing the award or its organizers.
Barcelona therefore found itself in a contradictory position following the announcement. The club has three players nominated for the award—Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Pau Cubarsí—but at the same time saw Pedri and Raphinha left out, creating plenty of surprise around the club.
The omissions of Pedri and Raphinha come as the 2026 Ballon d’Or race features fierce competition, with major names such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane also included, alongside Lamine Yamal and several of the biggest stars in world football.
Lamine Yamal also addressed the award after the nominees were announced, insisting that he does not need to campaign for the Ballon d’Or and that his performances on the pitch should speak for themselves.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist has therefore become another source of controversy around Barcelona, not only because of Pedri and Raphinha’s omissions, but also because of Deco’s sarcastic reaction, with the sporting director choosing laughter instead of words in a brief response that immediately raised questions about Barcelona’s true feelings toward the award’s selections.