Paris Saint‑Germain midfielder Fabian Ruiz told Radioestadio Noche, as reported by Goal, that his collection of trophies gives him a strong case for the 2026 Ballon d’Or – the sport’s most prestigious individual award.
The 30‑year‑old highlighted a season in which he helped PSG win the French Ligue 1 title, the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, while also playing a key role as Spain lifted the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“I don’t think I need to say it myself. In the end, everyone knows the titles I was able to win this past season. Obviously, I am the player who has won the most titles, but I’ll leave the campaigning to everyone else,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz has made a similar case in earlier interviews with AS and L’Équipe, noting that he has won seven titles in recent years and questioning why he should not dream of the Ballon d’Or. His remarks come amid a lively debate among nominees, with Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé emphasizing his 42 goals across club and country, Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal claiming he and Mbappé are the two best players, and England captain Harry Kane preferring to let his performances speak while acknowledging other contenders such as Michael Olise and Rodri.
Challenging the traditional focus on attacking statistics, Ruiz argued that defenders, goalkeepers and midfielders deserve equal consideration, citing Luka Modrić and Rodri as recent examples of non‑forwards winning the award. The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony is scheduled for 26 October in London, and Ruiz is listed among the 30 nominees for the men’s prize.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
