France Football criticizes PSG's Ballon d'Or campaign strategy

Paris Saint-Germain players finished low in the 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings, prompting France Football's editor-in-chief to criticize the club's promotional campaign. The criticism came during the ceremony, which overlapped with PSG's 2-0 Ligue 1 win over Lyon. Khvitcha Kvaratskhelia was PSG's highest finisher in sixth place, followed by Ousmane Dembélé in seventh, Fabian Ruiz in tenth, and Achraf Hakimi and Vitinha in 13th and 14th. Editor Vincent Garcia told L'Équipe that PSG mishandled its campaign by promoting multiple players instead of focusing on one, unlike Kylian Mbappé's successful individual push. Garcia suggested PSG should have backed defending winner Dembélé exclusively, arguing the club's unclear strategy hurt its players' chances despite their status as two-time European champions.