Overview
- Toni Kroos said on Friday, Aug. 21 that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is his clear “number one” for the 2026 Ballon d'Or while also conceding the winger probably will not win the prize.
- Kvaratskhelia posted 19 goals and 11 assists in 48 games for PSG last season and scored 10 goals with 7 assists in 16 Champions League matches, stats Kroos cited to justify his pick.
- Kroos argued that top World Cup performers such as Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Rodri weakened their Ballon d'Or cases by having only average club seasons.
- The overall race remains unusually open because Spain’s World Cup win rested on collective play rather than a single dominant performer and several leading players lacked major team trophies.
- The winner will be announced in London on October 26, and Kroos’s public backing could shift media and voter focus toward club form and Champions League impact when judges weigh their choices.