Ballon d’Or 2026: PSG accused of media confusion

In the brightly lit hall of the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, the trophy was presented to Harry Kane, while Paris Saint‑Germain, present in large numbers, saw its image criticised. Vincent Garcia, editor-in-chief of France Football, denounced a “not clear” communication from the club.

On Monday evening, the winner was closely followed by Kylian Mbappé, second, and the young prodigy Lamine Yamal, third. Their presence reinforced the debate on PSG’s media strategy.

Three PSG players in the top 10

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia finished sixth, Ousmane Dembélé seventh and Fabien Ruiz tenth. These three names confirm the depth of the Parisian squad despite the lack of collective victory.

The club therefore could not retain the Ballon d’Or, after Ousmane Dembélé’s victory in 2025. This break highlights the difficulty of turning individual performances into collective success.

Ronaldo refuses to guess the future Ballon d’Or, praises Lamine Yamal

PSG communication criticised

Vincent Garcia said that PSG had tried to promote three players then two, creating confusion. “Stop the lobbying and the candidates’ interviews to campaign,” he added, calling for more clarity.

According to Garcia, the multiple media appearances of Kylian Mbappé were beneficial. “Mbappé ran a very good campaign, he managed to explain well and leave an impression on the jurors,” he explained on the microphone of La Chaîne L’Équipe.

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He also judged that the club should have focused its efforts on the Ballon d’Or holder, Ousmane Dembélé. “They should have rolled for the Ballon d’Or holder, that is Dembélé,” he asserted.