A Blue October in Paris
When the Ballon d'Or nominations landed this week, the message was unmistakable: Manchester City's women are no longer knocking on the door. They've kicked it off its hinges.
Five City players feature on the 2026 women's shortlist, a statement of intent from a squad that swept the domestic honours last term. Bunny Shaw leads the charge, collecting her third nomination on the back of a season that bordered on the absurd.
The Jamaican striker claimed the WSL Golden Boot with 21 goals in 22 games, a return that underpinned her clean sweep of individual awards — PFA Players' Player of the Year, WSL Player of the Season, and FWA Player of the Year. Some players collect trophies; Shaw appears to be collecting entire mantelpieces.
She's joined on the list by Vivianne Miedema, Yui Hasegawa, captain Alex Greenwood, and Kerstin Casparij — a spread across the pitch that reflects a side greater than the sum of its considerable parts. The recognition doesn't stop with the players.
Club, Coach, and Keeper Recognition
City have also been shortlisted for Club of the Year, rubbing shoulders with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Lyon, and Club America. Andrée Jeglertz, who guided the side to a domestic double last season, is in the running for Coach of the Year, while Ayaka Yamashita earns a nod in the Goalkeeper of the Year category.
There's a fresh face in the youth ranks too, with new signing Ayyoub Bouaddi nominated for Young Talent of the Year.
Men's Side Well Represented
The men's awards carry a familiar blue tinge. Erling Haaland is nominated, as is Rodri — though the latter's nomination arrives with the bittersweet footnote that he's since traded Manchester for Barcelona. Still, the nominations serve as a reminder of the quality that passed through the Etihad.
The ceremony takes place on 26th October. Given the sheer volume of City representation, there's a fair chance the blue half of Manchester will have a long night in Paris.