Luis Enrique demands 2026 Ballon d'Or for PSG player after Champions League double

Luis Enrique took a stance on Thursday: for the Paris Saint-Germain manager, the 2026 Ballon d’Or must absolutely go to a PSG player. The statement comes less than two months before the ceremony scheduled for October 26, and as the list of thirty nominees will be revealed on September 8.

Questioned at a press conference on the eve of PSG’s home match against Monaco at Parc des Princes (Ligue 1 matchday 3), the Spanish coach justified his conviction by his squad’s collective and individual achievements. “I’m not interested in knowing who will win the Ballon d’Or. But in my opinion, it must be a Paris Saint-Germain player. We have everything: we have players who have all won the Champions League, we have Fabián Ruiz who won the World Cup, Ousmane Dembélé who won the Ballon d’Or last season. So for me, it must be a Parisian,” he declared, before tempering his remarks: “That’s my opinion, but I could also be wrong.”

PSG can indeed rely on an exceptional record: the club won a second consecutive Ligue des Champions in May, an unprecedented back-to-back in its history. For the 70th edition of the trophy, this European dominance is a weighty argument.

But the competition promises to be fierce. The 2026 World Cup, which concluded the season, has reshuffled the cards. Lionel Messi is regularly mentioned for a hypothetical ninth award. Kylian Mbappé, top scorer of the season in La Liga and author of a remarkable World Cup on a personal level, is among the favorites. Rodri, already winner in 2024, remains a credible option. Suspense remains until the October ceremony.