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Arsenal’s William Saliba became the butt of what must be a Ballon d’Or joke

William Saliba has finished 29th in this year's Ballon d'Or rankings, which is fine. What's not fine is who finished directly above him.

By Kian Long · Paininthearsenal

Published: Monday, 26 October 2026 at 6:23 PM

Key Things to Know

Writer Kian Long criticizes the Ballon d'Or rankings for placing Julián Quiñones above William Saliba.
Arsenal defender William Saliba officially finished 29th in the men's Ballon d'Or rankings.
Quiñones finished as the top goal scorer in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Qadsiah.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Writer Kian Long argues that Arsenal defender William Saliba was unfairly ranked behind forward Julián Quiñones in the Ballon d'Or standings. Saliba placed 29th overall in the men's award rankings, which the author considered respectable until Quiñones was placed higher.

While acknowledging Quiñones's strong World Cup performance with Mexico and goal-scoring success for Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah, the author contends that the Ballon d'Or historically overlooks defensive contributions, undervaluing Saliba's elite role in Arsenal's defense.

Read the full article on Paininthearsenal

Arsenal’s William Saliba became the butt of what must be a Ballon d’Or joke

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