Former Real Madrid and Germany star midfielder Toni Kroos has revealed his pick for who should win the 2026 Ballon d’Or. He wants football’s most prestigious individual award to go to PSG’s Georgian forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
According to Spanish outlet Foot Mercato, Kvaratskhelia is Kroos’s top choice in this year’s Ballon d’Or race. Revealing his preference, the former German star said: “For me, he’s the number one player right now.”
Kroos’s choice may surprise many. That’s because he did not rank stars such as Rodri, Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham or Kylian Mbappe, who are also in the Ballon d’Or conversation, ahead of Kvaratskhelia. In his view, they did not have a club season extraordinary enough to make a strong claim for the award.
Kvaratskhelia’s performance last season, on the other hand, impressed Kroos. He described the Georgian winger as “the best player of last season,” and also praised him as “the current best player on the best football team in the world.”
The statistics also back Kvaratskhelia. Across all competitions for PSG, he scored 19 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 matches. His performance in the Champions League in particular was even more eye-catching. The 25-year-old star scored 10 goals in 16 matches and set up teammates for seven more.
Kvaratskhelia’s contribution was also notable in the Champions League knockout stage. He played an effective role for the team in important matches against Monaco, Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich. His performance was also crucial in PSG’s eventual Champions League triumph.
Following such a performance, Kroos considers Kvaratskhelia one of the leading Ballon d’Or contenders. With a star like the former Real Madrid player backing him, discussion of the Georgian footballer’s chances has grown even louder.
Still, Kvaratskhelia winning the Ballon d’Or ahead of stars like World Cup winners Yamal and Rodri, or runner-up Messi, would undoubtedly be a major surprise. France Football magazine will announce the winner of the 2026 Ballon d’Or in London on October 26.
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