Sports

Barcelona's reputation for producing elite young footballers has received another boost, with two of their players included among the five nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Women’s Young Talent of the Year award.

Barcelona's reputation for producing some of football's brightest young stars has been recognised once again, with Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí both named among the nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Young Talent of the Year award.

The Inter Miami forward appears alongside Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal, Real Madrid stars Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Bayern Munich's Harry Kane.

The 2026 Ballon d’Or goalkeeper race has produced a major surprise, with Cape Verde star, Vozinha, named alongside some of the biggest names in world football.

The shortlist brings together five clubs from different leagues and continents, with each nominee recognised for a standout 2025/26 campaign.

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, Spain boss, Luis de la Fuente, Aston Villa coach, Unai Emery, and Paris Saint-Germain manager, Luis Enrique, have all been recognised for outstanding achievements during the 2025/26 campaign and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Coco Gauff continued her pursuit of a second US Open title with a convincing straight-sets victory over fellow American Iva Jovic, overcoming the 18-year-old 6-1, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals in New York.

The two governing bodies are also preparing to send a joint delegation to Abuja as they seek to establish what happened, following the mass resignation of senior NFF officials and determine the appropriate next steps.

Qinwen Zheng produced another remarkable comeback at the 2026 US Open, recovering from a five-game deficit to defeat six-time Major winner Iga Świątek and book her place in the quarter-finals.

The Real Madrid forward enters this year’s race with a compelling individual case, having combined another outstanding club season with a record-breaking performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.