Paris Saint‑Germain ended the season with the title of best club of the year, but the individual ranking of the 2026 Ballon d'Or left Parisian fans disappointed. In the list of individual awards, the French club saw their highest placed player, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, in sixth place, followed by Ousmane Dembélé in seventh. Fabián Ruiz occupied tenth position, Achraf Hakimi thirteenth and Vitinha fourteenth, numbers well below the expectations that many associated with PSG's European success.
The disappointment was met with critical comments from the club's supporters, who believe the season's protagonists should have received higher recognition. To understand the reason for this discrepancy, Vincent Garcia, editorial director of France Football, analyzed the candidates' media campaign. According to Garcia, PSG made a mistake in managing communication, choosing to distribute support across multiple players instead of focusing on a single name. "They should have focused on one player. For me they should have supported the title holder, Ousmane Dembélé," said Garcia, underlining how the communication strategy was diluted.
Garcia also highlighted how Kylian Mbappé, despite not having been awarded, managed to enhance his candidacy thanks to a more targeted communication campaign. The French footballer managed to convey to the jurors the weight of his season, in particular thanks to his performance at the World Cup, and according to Garcia this strategy could have made the difference in a very balanced race, with narrow margins between the candidates.
Despite the disappointment, PSG remains a leading club in European football, with a successful season and a best club accolade. However, the individual Ballon d'Or ranking has raised questions about the management of communication and the promotion strategy of their players. The future of the club will likely be influenced by these reflections, and fans hope that next season will be accompanied by a more focused campaign and higher individual results.