Tenth at Ballon d'Or despite Champions League and World Cup, Fabian Ruiz owns it

Fabian Ruiz was, on paper, the best-positioned player on the planet in 2026: European champion with PSG on May 30, then world champion with Spain on July 19. Yet the midfielder only secured tenth place in the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings.

“I have absolutely no regrets. I’m someone who prefers to stay a bit removed from all this. I won’t lie, I would have liked to finish as high as possible and that’s why I work and try to progress every season,” he told Spanish media Okdiario.

The explanation lies largely in the criteria retained by France Football. Individual performances — decisive character, influence on matches, ability to make a difference — constitute the primary weighting factor. Yet while Ruiz shone collectively, he did not produce sufficiently dominant personal performances to rival those at the top of the rankings. An injury also deprived him of a significant portion of the 2025-2026 season with PSG.

The Spanish international prefers to focus on trajectory rather than disappointment. “I think I’m in constant progression in recent years,” he notes. “I went from 26th to 10th place and now my objective is to have a season just as good, or even better, even though I know it will be difficult.” The former Naples midfielder, now 30 years old, thus sets a clear course for the coming season.