Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique once again strongly advocated for a player from his squad to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or during a recent press conference, just ahead of the team’s Ligue 1 match against Monaco.
This statement mirrors his passionate campaign from last season, where he pushed for Ousmane Dembele to take home the trophy following PSG’s historic first Champions League victory. Following the club’s successful defense of the title this season, Enrique remains steadfast in his belief. “I don’t care who wins the Ballon d’Or. But, in my opinion, it has to be a PSG player,” he stated.
Enrique highlighted multiple stars in his squad as highly deserving of the individual accolades, pointing to their major international and club achievements over the past year. “We have players who have won the Champions League. We have Fabian Ruiz, who won the World Cup, and Ousmane Dembele, who won the Ballon d’Or last season,” he noted. He concluded by emphasizing team success over individual glory: “That’s my opinion. But I’m not interested in individual awards; the most important thing is the collective.”
The upcoming 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for October 26 at The London Palladium. This year’s award will evaluate performances spanning from July 2025 to July 19, 2026, a period that crucially includes the culmination of the World Cup.
Key Contenders for the 2026 Ballon d’Or
This year’s award features an unusually wide-open race, with no single dominant favorite. At least eight global stars are in serious contention, including Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Michael Olise, alongside Dembele and legend Lionel Messi.
Among the leading candidates is Rodri, who solidified his status after winning the World Cup with Spain and earning the tournament’s best player award. Meanwhile, Harry Kane dominated domestically with Bayern Munich, capturing the Bundesliga title and finishing as the league’s top scorer with an impressive 36 goals in 31 games, despite team setbacks in the Champions League and World Cup semifinals.
Lionel Messi continues to remain a formidable contender following a spectacular World Cup performance at the age of 39, where he scored eight goals in what statistically became his finest tournament. A victory this year would make history, allowing him to become the first player ever to claim nine Ballon d’Or trophies.
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