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It was a historic occasion for Mexican football as Julián Quiñones, Scarlett Camberos and Club América Femeníl all earned spots on the 2026 Ballon d'Or nomination shortlist.
The complete list of nominees for the 2026 Men's and Women's Ballon d'Or awards was officially unveiled on Tuesday, and for the very first time, two Mexican players and a Mexican club appeared on the list of the sport's most coveted awards ceremony.
You have to look as far back as 2007 to find the last Mexican Ballon d'Or nominee. A 22-year-old goalkeeper named Guillermo Ochoa placed 30th in the Men's Ballon d'Or voting, with his outstanding displays for América in the Copa Libertadores and for the Mexican national team earning him the distinction of being the first and only Mexican player ever to crack the top-30 of nominees—until now.
Other players including Rafael Márquez, Javier "Chicharito" Hernández, Andrés Guardado and Giovanni Dos Santos appeared in preliminary Ballon d'Or lists throughout their careers but never made it onto the official shortlist of 30.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or marks the first-ever edition to feature three representatives connected to Mexican football. It is nothing short of a historic moment for the sport in the country.
Julián Quiñones: From Fringe Mexico Player to Ballon d'Or Nominee
Quiñones's inclusion among the men's Ballon d'Or nominees was undeniably surprising given his absence from European football. Yet his performances at club level with Al Qadsiah and his contributions to Mexico at the World Cup were more than deserving of recognition.
Quiñones was the standout performer for Al Qadsiah in 2025–26 and, despite falling short of a league title, he claimed the Saudi Pro League Golden Boot, netting 33 goals in 31 appearances to edge out Ivan Toney and Cristiano Ronaldo as the division's top scorer.
Then came the summer, where Quiñones delivered one of the finest individual performances by a Mexican international in World Cup history. The 29-year-old had not been a certainty to make Mexico's squad, but impressive showings in March persuaded Javier Aguirre to hand him a place.
Quiñones shone brightly with El Tri, netting four goals at the 2026 World Cup to equal the joint-highest tally by a Mexican international in a single World Cup tournament. Two of those strikes came in the knockout stages, and he also contributed an assist to cap a fairytale summer.
An exceptional World Cup combined with a prolific Saudi campaign has earned him a nomination for the sport's highest individual honor, adding yet another remarkable achievement to his legacy as one of the finest Mexican players of his generation.
Scarlett Camberos Makes History With Ballon d'Or Nomination
Scarlett Camberos now holds the distinguished honor of being the first Mexican player in history to receive a Women's Ballon d'Or nomination.
The 25-year-old forward is the standout talent in Liga MX Femeníl and was the key driving force behind Club América Femenil's run to the Clausura 2026 championship. Over the past year, she appeared in 47 matches and contributed 27 goals and 17 assists.
Her crowning achievement came in the Concacaf Champions Cup, where she bagged a hat-trick in the semifinals against Gotham City and provided a hat-trick of assists in the final against Washington Spirit—two of the NWSL's top clubs—as América claimed their first-ever continental crown.
Camberos's Ballon d'Or nomination represents a watershed moment for women's football in Mexico.
Club América Femenil Makes Ballon d'Or History
Club América Femenil became the first women's or men's Liga MX club in history to receive a nomination for the club of the year award at the Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Moreover, América Femenil are the first women's club from outside Europe and the United States to be shortlisted for the prestigious accolade. Las Águilas are the most decorated side in Liga MX history, and now their women's team are equally pioneering.
With Camberos leading the charge, América Femeníl captured three trophies this year, reclaiming the top of Liga MX with the Clausura 2026 title before defeating Tigres in the Campeón de Campeones—essentially a Super Cup contested between the two most recent Liga MX Femenil champions.
Their greatest triumph, however, came with a 5–3 victory over Washington Spirit to become the first Mexican club to lift the Women's Champions Cup, a monumental achievement that underscored the rapid rise of women's football in Mexico.