Ballon d'or: Nasser Al-Khelaïfi drops a hint about the winner | OneFootball

Nasser Al-Khelaïfi will indeed attend the Ballon d'Or ceremony

Ballon d'or: Nasser Al-Khelaïfi drops a hint about the winner

This Monday evening, Nasser Al-Khelaïfi faced a symbolic dilemma: attend Le Classique between PSG and Olympique de Marseille at the Vélodrome, or head to the Ballon d'Or ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet. After a day filled with uncertainty, the Parisian president ultimately opted for the gala, as revealed by Canal+. This decision is anything but trivial and speaks volumes about the ambitions of the capital club.

This trip is being interpreted as an unofficial but telling clue: the Ballon d'Or winner may well be a PSG player, with all eyes now turning to Ousmane Dembélé. The French international, in contention for football's highest individual honor, appears to be the logical favorite for the night. A victory would mark a historic milestone for the Parisian club, which has never before clinched this prestigious award.

Of course, other PSG representatives are among the nominees, such as Désiré Doué, Achraf Hakimi, and Luis Enrique. But Nasser Al-Khelaïfi's personal presence strengthens the impression that Paris is set to celebrate much more than just a nomination. By choosing the ceremony over such a high-profile match against OM, the club's chairman signals that PSG is expecting a truly global triumph.

Meanwhile, the rankings are starting to unfold. In 30th place is the first Frenchman, Michael Olise, closely followed by Florian Wirtz (29th) and Virgil van Dijk (28th). Declan Rice, who knocked out Real Madrid in the Champions League, sits 27th, while Erling Haaland, to everyone's surprise, is only 26th—his worst ever Ballon d'Or finish. This hierarchy suggests that more surprises could be in store as the rankings progress, with PSG now firmly in the spotlight.