- Dembélé Names Kane, Mbappé and Kvaratskhelia as His Top Three for 2026 Ballon d’Or
Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé has named Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Paris Saint-Germain teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as his three leading contenders for the 2026 award, leaving himself out despite being expected to feature prominently in the race.
The PSG forward revealed his choices in an interview with French sports newspaper L’Équipe ahead of the announcement of the 30 nominees on Tuesday, September 8. His comments add another layer of intrigue to a contest expected to feature several of Europe’s biggest attacking players.
Dembélé, who won the 2025 Ballon d’Or, said he had no interest in campaigning for himself when asked to assess the leading candidates for this year’s prize. “I never get into stuff like that. If I’m the one who speaks, I don’t vote for me,” he said.
He nevertheless indicated that he would like to see the award remain with Paris Saint-Germain, strengthening the case for Kvaratskhelia among his preferred choices.
Kvaratskhelia’s inclusion reflects the Georgian forward’s growing status at PSG and his role in one of Europe’s strongest attacking units.
Dembélé’s endorsement of his teammate is particularly notable because the Ballon d’Or increasingly weighs individual excellence against performances in major club and international competitions. The PSG connection also reinforces Dembélé’s view that the award could remain within the French champions’ squad.
Kane also features prominently in Dembélé’s assessment after another high-profile year with Bayern Munich and England.
The striker has built his reputation on elite goalscoring consistency, and his inclusion among Dembélé’s top three underlines how heavily attacking output continues to influence Ballon d’Or conversations. Kane’s challenge will depend not only on individual numbers but on how voters assess his performances in the biggest domestic, European and international matches.
Mbappé, meanwhile, remains one of the most obvious contenders in any discussion about the game’s outstanding individual players. The Real Madrid forward continues to carry enormous expectations at both club and international level and has remained central to France’s attacking ambitions.
Dembélé’s decision to include his former PSG teammate indicates that Mbappé’s standing among elite players remains undiminished.
The 2026 award is likely to be shaped by more than league statistics alone. Performances in the Champions League, domestic competitions and the FIFA World Cup will all form part of the wider discussion around the year’s leading players.
For voters, the challenge will be balancing individual production with decisive performances in the competitions carrying the greatest weight.
Dembélé’s own omission from his personal shortlist does not mean he is out of contention. As the reigning winner, he enters the discussion with the profile of a player who has already demonstrated the level required to claim football’s most prestigious individual honour. His refusal to name himself, however, allows him to frame the debate around rivals rather than his own chances.
His current club form may also become part of the conversation as the season progresses. Dembélé has played two matches so far in the 2026/27 campaign without registering a goal or assist, although such a small sample is unlikely to determine his wider Ballon d’Or standing on its own.
Voters generally consider performances across a much broader period, particularly in major competitions and decisive matches.
The presence of Kvaratskhelia on Dembélé’s list also highlights the competitive dynamic inside PSG. Elite clubs increasingly field several players capable of drawing votes from one another, which can complicate individual award races even when the team enjoys collective success.
If multiple PSG players are shortlisted, their respective roles in the club’s major achievements could become an important point of comparison.
The same applies to Mbappé and Kane, whose cases will be judged partly through the lens of responsibility and influence within their teams. Ballon d’Or races often become debates about who was most decisive when the stakes were highest rather than simply who accumulated the most goals or assists.
Dembélé’s choices suggest he sees all three players as having made sufficiently strong cases to sit at the front of that discussion.
His comments are also a reminder that players themselves often view these awards differently from supporters and media analysts. While public debate can focus heavily on rankings and statistical comparisons, Dembélé chose not to promote his own candidacy and instead highlighted three rivals.
“If I’m the one who speaks, I don’t vote for me,” he said, making clear that he preferred not to campaign directly for a second successive crown.
With the 30 nominees set to be confirmed, attention will now shift to how the final field is constructed and which achievements ultimately carry the greatest weight with voters. Kane, Mbappé and Kvaratskhelia all have compelling cases, while Dembélé remains part of the wider conversation as the reigning holder.
His personal verdict, however, is already clear: if he had to look beyond himself, those are the three players he believes should lead the race.
