Neither Mbappé nor Messi: Kroos sees Ballon d'Or favourite at PSG | OneFootball

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, 25, a winger for Paris Saint-Germain, has particularly prestigious backing in the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or. On social media, Toni Kroos placed the Georgia international at the top of his rankings and paid him a huge tribute, as reported by Onze Mondial.

Kroos: “He’s number 1 for me”

The verdict inevitably carries special weight when it comes from Toni Kroos. The former Real Madrid midfield maestro is not merely backing an original candidate: he is placing Kvaratskhelia above all the other contenders. His choice rewards a spectacular player, but above all one who has delivered in Paris Saint-Germain’s biggest moments.

Despite his absence from the World Cup, the Georgian still has an extremely strong case. Kroos highlights an obvious point sometimes overshadowed by the World Cup’s media spotlight: the Ballon d’Or should also honor consistency, collective influence, and excellence over an entire season.

By presenting Kvaratskhelia as the best representative of the best club team in the world, the German is also directly praising the Paris project. Number 7 would no longer be just one of PSG’s biggest stars, but the brightest face of its European success. A major endorsement for a player now fully established among the world’s elite.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.