PSG is heading towards the race for the Ballon d’Or. With nine representatives, plus Ferran Torres who arrived this summer from FC Barcelona, the double European champion is the club with the most nominees in the quest for the prestigious award. Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, Marquinhos, Joao Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabian Ruiz, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé are all in the race but there can only be one elected. Above all, it is the last three cities which are the favorites.
They all have qualities and defects. The Spaniard is the only player to have won the Champions League and the World Cup this season but has the disadvantage of being less in the spotlight than the other two, in addition to having been injured the first three months of the year. The Georgian, crowned best player in the C1 last season, was decisive during each match of the knockout phase from the return play-off. Problem, he did not play in the World Cup. Finally, the Frenchman is the defending champion and the team’s top scorer.
PSG chose Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembélé
He was still a little less flamboyant from a statistical point of view and experienced some periods of injury. They will have to face some well-armed candidates too, starting with Rodri, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, even Michael Olise. To optimize its chances of “retaining” the Ballon d’Or, PSG made a radical decision. According to The Parisianthe capital club chose to narrow its choice to two candidates, and not three. It was necessary to decide, and it was Fabian Ruiz who paid the price.
The midfielder suffers from a lack of overall recognition, while his performances and his track record make him a credible candidate. He is also not a “stat” element unlike his two teammates. Between now and October 26, and the ceremony which will take place in London this year, PSG will highlight Dembélé and Kvara, whom it considers to be its best chances. The passage ahead League 1+ after the success in Brest on Sunday (1-0), where he responded to Mbappé’s comments, is also a first act.
OM-PSG could reshuffle the cards
Depending on the progress of the campaign, the performance of one or the other, or even surveys, Ile-de-France residents could further refine their choice and promote a single candidacy. The match against OM next Sunday could even give an important direction in the choice of management. This is how all clubs work. Real Madrid, for example, chose Mbappé and not Bellingham, Barça bet on Yamal rather than Rodri, and Bayern chose Kane over Olise. Be careful that it’s not counterproductive either…
