Dembele, Yamal Snubbed As World Cup Winner Backs Another PSG Star To Win 2026 Ballon d’Or
- Italy World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro named his preferred winner for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, set to be announced in London on October 26
- Cannavaro put a PSG winger ahead of big names including Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele, and Lamine Yamal in his ranking
- The former defender pointed to one competition in particular as the reason for his choice
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Italy legend Fabio Cannavaro has picked Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as his preferred winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or, dismissing high-profile rivals including Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Ousmane Dembele in the process.
The former Juventus and Real Madrid defender told Gazzetta dello Sport that his pick was rooted in Kvaratskhelia's performances during last season's UEFA Champions League, which he described as the clearest measure of individual brilliance.
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"In last season's Champions League, Kvaratskhelia was the most influential player from a footballing standpoint, and if I had to choose, I would have no doubt," Cannavaro was quoted by Football Italia.
"Everyone may use the World Cup as their benchmark, think of Mbappe or consider Messi and his career, but Kvara did extraordinary things."
Cannavaro, who captained Italy to the 2006 FIFA World Cup title in Germany, added that he takes a longer view when assessing player quality.
"I have a good memory. I don't just focus on the most recent events," he said.
Kvaratskhelia's record-breaking PSG season
The Georgia international, who previously starred for Napoli, joined PSG and has since won back-to-back Champions League titles with the French club, lifting the trophy in both 2025 and 2026.
Across all competitions last season, Kvaratskhelia scored 19 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 appearances, cementing his reputation as one of Europe's most dangerous wide players, GOAL reports.
This year's Ballon d'Or ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26, making it the first time the prestigious award will be held outside Paris.
The shortlist for the honour also includes Harry Kane, Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Messi, and Mbappe, all of whom benefit from significant visibility following their respective performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Cannavaro's case for Kvara
Cannavaro's argument essentially centres on the idea that Champions League performances should carry more weight than World Cup visibility in the Ballon d'Or debate.
By pointing to Kvaratskhelia's consistency and impact throughout PSG's European campaign, the Italian puts forward a club-focused case at a time when many observers are tilting towards players who shone on the international stage.
Whether Cannavaro's view reflects broader sentiment among voters remains to be seen, but the endorsement from a former World Player of the Year and World Cup-winning captain adds notable weight to Kvaratskhelia's candidacy ahead of the October ceremony.
Why Messi deserves 2026 Ballon d'Or
In a related development, Legit.ng reported about former Arsenal star Andrey Arshavin’s case for Lionel Messi to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, pointing to his World Cup displays and Inter Miami’s first league title.
With no clear favourite, Arshavin believes Messi’s performances make him a worthy winner, even though Argentina fell short of lifting the World Cup trophy.
Source: Legit.ng
