Quinones Earns 2026 Ballon d'Or Nod After RSL Golden Boot

Al Qadsiah forward Julian Quiñones has been named on the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, marking his first nomination for football's most prestigious individual award after a standout season in the Roshn Saudi League and a strong showing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Quiñones won the Roshn Saudi League Golden Boot for the 2025–2026 season, scoring 33 league goals for Al Qadsiah. He sealed the top-scorer prize on the final matchday with a hat-trick against Al Ittihad, finishing ahead of Al Ahli striker Ivan Toney in the race for the award.

The forward carried his club form into the international stage. Selected in Mexico's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, he scored the opening goal of the entire tournament in Mexico's 2–0 win over South Africa at Estadio Azteca, where he was named Man of the Match. He went on to finish as Mexico's top scorer at the tournament with four goals.

Why it matters

Quiñones' rise underlines the growing profile of the Roshn Saudi League on the world stage, with a player developed and starring in Saudi football now competing for the sport's biggest individual honour. His journey shows how the domestic league is increasingly seen as a platform for elite talent.

By the start of the 2026–2027 Roshn Saudi League season, Quiñones returned to action with Al Qadsiah as the reigning Golden Boot holder and a recognised World Cup star, promoted in league media as one of the competition's headline names for the campaign ahead.

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