In Paris, where PSG’s season has given its leading figures a continental stage, Ousmane Dembélé has placed Kvicha Kvaratskhelia at the front of his own Ballon d’Or ballot. With the 2026 winner due to be revealed in London in a little over a month, last year’s recipient believes his Georgian teammate has earned football’s highest individual prize.
Key takeaways
- Dembélé, the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, has backed Kvaratskhelia for the 2026 award.
- The PSG forward described Kvaratskhelia as the world’s best player after what he called an outstanding season.
- Kvaratskhelia returned the praise by highlighting Dembélé’s influence, leadership and contribution to the side.
- Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Rodri are among the other names in the early discussion.
- France Football’s next Ballon d’Or ceremony is set to take place in London.
PSG teammates make their cases
The race has no clear frontrunner as the London ceremony approaches. Mbappé, Kane, Lamine Yamal and Rodri have all featured prominently in the wider conversation, while other contenders remain capable of emerging late in the contest.
Kvaratskhelia is among those less regularly placed at the very summit of the forecasts, but Dembélé made an emphatic case for the former Napoli attacker during an appearance on Ligue 1+. “He is the best player in the world,” the Frenchman said. “I would be very happy if he won it because he deserves it. His season has been exceptional. For me, he is the best in the world, and that is why he deserves the Ballon d’Or.”
It is a significant endorsement from a player who knows the weight of the award, having collected the 2025 prize himself. Dembélé’s support also reflects Kvaratskhelia’s standing inside the Paris squad, where his candidacy has gathered force through his performances across the campaign.
Kvaratskhelia, however, did not turn the exchange into a solo claim. Asked for his own choice, he named Dembélé, praising both the Frenchman’s football and his place within the dressing room.
“The way Ousmane plays, supports the team and leads the group matters greatly to us,” Kvaratskhelia said. “His character is incredible, and we are very happy to have him in our team.”
