Ballon d'Or 2026: did PSG sabotage itself? Trophy chief highlights Paris's 'unclear communication'

France Football's editor suggests PSG's unfocused campaign backing three players may have cost them the Ballon d'Or, which Kane won ahead of Mbappé.

Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or on Monday, with Kylian Mbappé second and Lamine Yamal third. PSG had three players in the top 10: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (6th), Ousmane Dembélé (7th) and Fabien Ruiz (10th), but failed to retain the award after Dembélé's 2025 win.

Vincent Garcia, editor-in-chief of France Football, criticised PSG's strategy after the ceremony. "I think PSG's communication wasn't perhaps very clear, trying to promote three players, then two," he said on L'Équipe. Garcia argued the club should have focused entirely on defending Dembélé's title rather than spreading support across multiple candidates.

Garcia praised Mbappé's approach instead, noting the Real Madrid forward ran an effective campaign by clearly articulating his achievements during a World Cup year when several contenders were in the running.