Ballon d'Or 2026: PSG's absence from Top 5 sparks widespread confusion

No Paris Saint-Germain player features in the top five of the 2026 Ballon d’Or, despite the club winning the Ligue des Champions last season. The first PSG player in the rankings is Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in sixth place, while Vitinha appears only in 14th place. England’s Harry Kane was crowned winner at this 70th edition.

Journalist Dominique Grimault, a guest on the Pierrot Le Foot show, made no attempt to hide his frustration. “What surprises me is not seeing a PSG player in the top five. I don’t understand… It’s the best team in Europe and the world,” he declared, before specifically targeting the Portuguese midfielder’s case: “Vitinha in 14th place, when he’s the best midfielder in the world…”

Luis Enrique struck a similar tone in his press conference. The Spanish manager paid tribute to Vitinha while openly regretting his ranking. “What he brings us is so different. It’s always a pleasure to have such a player with these technical and physical qualities. He has an incredible level. I’m very happy to have a player of this caliber even if in the Ballon d’Or rankings, he deserves better,” he stated.

The frustration surrounding this award illustrates a recurring debate over Ballon d’Or voting criteria: a club’s collective performance, however dominant, does not necessarily translate into individual recognition. PSG, European champions, leaves this ceremony without a representative in the top five places for the first time in several years despite a historic season.