Daniel George Ballard (born 22 September 1999) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre back for EFL Championship side Sunderland.

[6] He made his debut in a 2–0 win against Scunthorpe United in the League Two on 3 August 2019, coming off the bench in the 88th minute.

[9] But his loan spell was cut short after just three appearances due to a severe knee injury that required 5 months of recovery time.

[17] On 30 June 2022, Ballard joined newly promoted Championship club Sunderland for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract.

[4][23] He made his senior debut in a 1–1 draw against Romania in a Nations League game in September 2020.