Julián Quiñones placed 28th in the 2026 Ballon d’Or vote, entering the top 30 global ranking following a prolific stint in Saudi Arabia and a historic campaign with the Mexico national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
France Football confirmed the final placement on Monday, October 26, 2026, during the award gala held at the London Palladium in London, England. The 28th-place finish returns the Mexican national team to the ranking for the first time in 19 years. Guillermo Ochoa was the last Mexican player named to the list, finishing 30th in 2007 while playing for Club América.
Production in Saudi Arabia and World Cup Record Equaling
Quiñones earned his inclusion in the top 30 through a dominant domestic season with Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League, where he finished as the league’s top scorer with 33 goals in 31 appearances. His goalscoring exploits in the Middle East outpaced several high-profile forwards, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Joao Félix, and Sadio Mané.
Across all club competitions for Al-Qadsiah, Quiñones amassed 41 goals and five assists, helping his club secure a top-four finish in the league standings. That club form translated directly to the international stage during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As a reference for El Tri, Quiñones scored four goals in the tournament, matching the historic national team record for goals in a single World Cup previously set by Luis “Matador” Hernández and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández.
Quiñones Finishes Ahead of Saliba and Mané
In the final 2026 Ballon d’Or balloting, Quiñones finished ahead of Arsenal defender William Saliba and Sadio Mané, who shared the 29th position. Dayot Upamecano took 26th place and Bruno Fernandes claimed 27th.
The ranking reflects a career trajectory that gained momentum across the Liga MX before expanding internationally. Prior to his move to the Saudi Pro League, Quiñones collected six domestic league titles in Mexico. He secured back-to-back championships with Atlas in Apertura 2021 and Clausura 2022—scoring a crucial stoppage-time goal in the first leg of the Clausura 2022 final against Pachuca to cement the club’s first title in 70 years—before capturing another back-to-back pair of league titles with Club América in Apertura 2023 and Clausura 2024.
Career Path From Ascenso MX to Global Recognition
The forward’s path to global recognition began after moving from Colombia to Mexico in 2016 to join Tigres UANL’s youth system. Tigres loaned the young prospect to Venados de Mérida in the Liga de Ascenso, where he found regular playing time and goalscoring form. Stints with Lobos BUAP—where he scored 16 goals in the 2017–2018 season—preceded his breakthrough years in Guadalajara with Atlas and subsequently Mexico City with América.
While skeptics questioned whether a transfer to West Asia would diminish his competitive standing, Quiñones maintained the output that ultimately caught the attention of international voters. His 33 league goals in Saudi Arabia established him as the top scorer in the region, providing the statistical foundation for his entry into the Ballon d’Or top 30.
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