Paris clubs rally as Ballon d'Or race heats up with ten PSG hopefuls
Ousmane Dembele, who lifted the Ballon d'Or in 2025, found himself barely settled back into his chair at Paris' historic Theatre du Chatelet last September, gold‑dipped orb in hand, as the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or campaign kicked into gear. He is now one of ten Paris Saint‑Germain players listed for this year's shortlist.
Campaign launch sparks media frenzy
Entourages roused their candidates while the media revelled in the hype surrounding the award. European football expert Guillem Balague told 's Euro Leagues podcast that the Ballon d'Or "has been discussed every single day" and that it mirrors a societal focus on the individual over the collective.
French journalist Julien Laurens added that "you can't underestimate the PR machine that some clubs and some players are going to use" as the red‑carpet ceremony approaches.
Club figures and player ambitions
Managers and sporting directors praised their charges and questioned why other squad members missed the 30‑man shortlist. Former Barcelona midfielder Deco called it a "huge scandal" that Barcelona duo Raphinha and Pedri were omitted, while backing Lamine Yamal as the overwhelming favourite – not because he plays for Barca, but simply "because I like football".
Lamine Yamal insisted he will not "beg for anything" after last year saying he dreamed of "winning many", and argued the prize should not be awarded solely to the top goalscorer. Paris Saint‑Germain boss Luis Enrique confessed he is "bored of the Ballon d’Or", even as his club set a record with ten players on the shortlist.
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Dembele and Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia exchanged compliments to. Dembele joked, "We can cut it in two – honestly, he deserves it, the season he had was exceptional," to which Kvaratskhelia replied, "Of course it's him!" Their "Kvara d'Or" campaign celebrated the Georgian winger, who noted that for big nations it is hard to grasp what winning would mean for a small country.
Kylian Mbappe, now the all‑time World Cup top goalscorer, made a blunt pitch for his first Ballon d'Or, saying, "I always think I'm the best but everyone has their own opinion" and acknowledging that journalists decide the outcome.
Voting mechanics and legacy
Since the brief period when national team captains and managers voted ended in 2015, the 30‑player shortlist compiled by France Football and is decided by one journalist from each of the top 100 FIFA‑ranked nations. The deadline has passed and the winner has already been chosen.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have together claimed the Ballon d'Or thirteen times between 2008 and 2023. Sports brand strategist James Kirkham likened the build‑up to an election, saying, "You're going out, canvassing, getting your vote and making sure you shore up certain blocks from certain countries." Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl argued that the best players "are the ones who don't need to run a campaign".
Former winner Jean‑Pierre Papin told French TV he admires Mbappe but warned the award can become "all about me, me, me and me". Mbappe reflected on the Messi‑Ronaldo era, stating, "My idea of the Ballon d'Or comes from that era – you don't give it to ordinary players, you give it to players who are different." The last recipient before the Messi‑Ronaldo dominance was AC Milan's Kaka in 2007.