Former Real Madrid star Toni Kroos of Germany has revealed his pick for the winner of the 2026 Ballon d'Or, placing Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, the Paris Saint-Germain forward, at the top of his list of candidates for the prestigious award.
Kroos knows his choice might raise a few eyebrows. Writing on Instagram, as reported by "Foot Mercato", the German rated Kvaratskhelia above every rival. "He is the number 1 player for me," he said.
Kroos rules out big stars
Several of the biggest names to shine at the World Cup fall short in the former midfielder's eyes. Rodri, Lionel Messi, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe all failed, he reckons, to produce a strong enough season with their clubs to challenge for the award.
Kroos called Kvaratskhelia "the best player last season". He also described him as "the best player currently at the best football team in the world", pointing to Paris Saint-Germain.
Kvaratskhelia's numbers support his nomination
The Georgian winger enjoyed a remarkable season with Paris Saint-Germain. He scored 19 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 matches across all competitions.
His impact stood out even more in the Champions League. Kvaratskhelia scored 10 goals and set up 7 others in 16 matches, and he played a decisive role through the knockout rounds against Monaco, Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich.
That brilliance now hands Kvaratskhelia heavyweight backing in the Ballon d'Or race, with one of Real Madrid's most prominent former stars in his corner. The winner will be revealed on 26 October in London.
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