Ousmane Dembélé has put a very club-specific spin on the 2026 Ballon d'Or race. Speaking to givemesport.com, the Paris Saint Germain winger said: "I don't think this trophy is in doubt. I think it will stay in the hands of a Paris Saint-Germain player." He is the 2025 Ballon d'Or winner, and France Football has already named him the reigning holder ahead of the 26 October ceremony in London.
Dembélé's top three
His shortlist was just as pointed. Dembélé's top three were Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé, with Lamine Yamal and Rodri left out of his first choices. He added: "My top 3? All mixed up: Kvara (Khvicha Kvaratskhelia), [Harry Kane], who had a very, very good season, and I think [Kylian Mbappe]. Me? Oh no, I never put myself in things like that. I never vote for myself."
Paris Saint-Germain's pull in the race is not hard to miss. The club have 10 players nominated for the Men's Ballon d'Or, and that gives Dembélé a proper basis for saying the prize can stay in Paris. The cleanest challenge to that line is the competition itself, because PSG's last five matches brought 1 win, 2 draws and 2 defeats.
Kvaratskhelia's case is not hard to understand either. He had 10 goals and 6 assists in the Champions League, while Kane's 73 goals for club and country and Mbappé's 10 goals at the 2026 World Cup explain why Dembélé kept both in his top three. Luis Enrique will not care much for the outside noise, but the public argument around the Ballon d'Or has already been framed around PSG rather than the usual spread of contenders.
The ceremony is on 26 October in London, and Dembélé's own verdict has already made the shortlist debate sharper. PSG have 10 nominees, and he has named three players who all fit the same club-first case.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
