Ballon d’Or 2026: Emmanuel Petit names player who deserves to win award

Former Arsenal defensive midfielder, Emmanuel Petit, has said that Paris Saint-Germain winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia deserves to win the Ballon d’Or this year.

Petit cited Kvaratskhelia’s performances in the last two years as a reason for him to win the Ballon d’Or.

“Kvara adds his name to a list that isn’t long and is non-exhaustive of super players who have never won anything with their country,” Petit recently said on RMC Sport’s Rothen S’enflamme.

“For the two years gone by and the delight that is watching this player who reeks of football, he deserves the Ballon d’Or,” he said.

Kvaratskhelia has been impressive for PSG since joining the French Ligue 1 club from Napoli in January, 2025.

The 25-year-old, who didn’t participated at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is expected to challenge Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe for the Ballon d’Or.