- French football legend Michel Platini named a Paris Saint-Germain forward as his pick for the 2026 Ballon d’Or
- Platini pointed to the Champions League as the key reason behind his choice, despite Mbappe’s historic World Cup achievement
- Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho also weighed in on the debate, backing a different candidate for the prestigious award
France football legend Michel Platini has come out in favour of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, dealing a blow to Kylian Mbappe’s hopes of claiming the prize despite the Real Madrid forward’s historic summer at the World Cup.
Kvaratskhelia joined Paris Saint-Germain from Napoli and played a significant role in helping the French club lift the Champions League trophy, a run that required consistency across numerous high-pressure knockout fixtures throughout the European campaign.
Source: Getty Images
Platini shared his views with The Tribuna, placing his faith firmly behind the PSG winger.
“For the Ballon d’Or, I’d put a small bet on the Paris Saint-Germain player, Kvaratskhelia,” the three-time Ballon d’Or winner was quoted by GOAL.
The former France captain pointed to PSG’s Champions League triumph as the central reason for his nomination.
“He won the Champions League title with Paris Saint-Germain,” Platini said, adding that the scale of the competition carries weight in his thinking.
“The Champions League means playing a lot of matches. And there are 4 or 5 other players who also deserve the award.”
Mbappe’s Ballon d’Or case remains strong
Mbappe, meanwhile, gave himself a powerful argument of his own during the summer.
The Real Madrid captain became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history, a remarkable individual record that adds considerable weight to his candidacy for the award.
Despite Platini’s snub, Mbappe’s achievement at the World Cup has drawn widespread attention and kept him firmly in contention as one of the strongest candidates ahead of the October announcement, Yahoo Sports reports.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho also entered the debate with a contrasting view, arguing that neither a PSG player nor a member of the Spanish national team should win this year’s prize.
Mourinho reportedly pointed specifically to Mbappe’s record-breaking World Cup performance as grounds to award the honour to the Frenchman.
October Ballon d’Or verdict awaits
The Ballon d’Or winner will be announced in October, with reigning champion Ousmane Dembele also expected to mount a strong defence of his crown.
The competition for this year’s award is among the most open in recent memory, with Kvaratskhelia, Mbappe, Kane, Messi, and Dembele all holding credible claims to the prize.
Platini’s endorsement gives Kvaratskhelia a notable boost in the conversation, though opinions among football’s biggest names remain divided on who ultimately deserves to take home the award.
2026 Ballon d’Or rankings updated
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the 2026 Ballon d’Or race has shifted dramatically after the opening weekend of fixtures across Europe’s top leagues, with results in Spain and France reshuffling the standings in a significant way.
Mbappe has moved to the top of the rankings and is now the frontrunner for the award following the conclusion of matchday one in Europe.
Source: Legit.ng