Willian Pacho Named Among 30 Ballon d'Or 2026 Nominees

Some names take years to show up on a list, and when they finally do, they carry twice the weight. Willian Pacho's is one of them. This Tuesday, September 8, the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or were revealed, and there among the giants of world soccer was the name of the Ecuadorian center back from PSG.

This is not an award that falls from the sky. Pacho is coming off a season in which PSG won practically everything: back to back Champions League titles, plus the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and yet another Ligue 1 crown for the Paris trophy case. That run of titles, combined with a defensive level that nobody questions anymore, ended up opening the door to the nomination. Because if there's one thing that has stood out about Luis Enrique's PSG, it's the solidity of the back line. Pacho formed a rock solid partnership alongside Brazil's Marquinhos, and that pairing was key to the French side feeling comfortable defending high up the field and playing out from the back. A center back who cuts off passing lanes, wins the duels he needs to win and on top of that provides clean buildup play: that has been Pacho's season.

What stands out is that just a year ago his name didn't even come up in the conversation. That absence from the previous edition caused some frustration, and not just in the press: even his own teammates in the PSG locker room pointed it out at the time. Now, with a level sustained throughout the entire season, that debt has been settled.

An Achievement Ecuador Hadn't Seen in 20 Years

How long has it been since an Ecuadorian was last part of this conversation? Two decades. The only precedent was Edison Mendez, nominated in the 2006 edition, when "Kinito" was shining for PSV of the Netherlands and was a key piece in taking the Dutch club to the Champions League semifinals. That same year, he had also been one of the standout figures for the Ecuador side coached by Luis Fernando Suarez, which reached the round of 16 of a World Cup for the first time. Mendez, however, did not receive any points in the final voting: he was one of 24 players who finished without scoring, in a year that ended with Fabio Cannavaro crowned as the winner. Two decades later, Pacho has the chance to rewrite that story for Ecuadorian soccer.

The ceremony where the winner will be announced is set for October 26 at the London Palladium in London. It remains to be seen whether Pacho can pick up points where Mendez couldn't, but simply being there, among the 30, is already a snapshot Ecuadorian soccer hadn't seen since 2006.