B/R’s Final 2026 Men’s Ballon d’Or Rankings

July B/R Ranking: Unranked

While Khvicha Kvaratskhelia didn’t factor into B/R’s last set of Ballon d’Or rankings, the bookies are surprisingly buoyant regarding the Georgian’s prospects, putting him as the fifth favorite above World Cup winner Rodri and Bayern Munich and France magician Michael Olise.

The absolutely horrendous injury that Kvara suffered in Paris Saint-Germain’s 4-2 Champions League victory over Barcelona will sadly not be softened by a Ballon d’Or trophy, though, with the Georgian just a stone’s throw away from a podium spot.

Even more unfortunately, that ACL injury will likely keep the 25-year-old out of action for the best part of a year, effectively ending his bid for the award in 2027.

However, he can look back on the 2025-26 campaign with great satisfaction, having doubled up on his career winners’ medals in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League. 

His nation missing out on the World Cup ultimately did the most damage to his case for the golden orb, with Kvara unable to put his talents on display for a global audience to enjoy.

At club level, though, he was typically electric. Despite PSG boss Luis Enrique effectively saving him for European action—limiting him to just 28 appearances and 18 starts in the French top flight—he still grabbed eight goals and four assists in league play, coming in at a goal-involvement rate of every 123.5 minutes.

But he truly made his presence felt in the best club competition on the planet, grabbing 10 goals and 6 assists in 16 games. In fact, he failed to make an impact on the scoresheet in only three of those appearances.

Kvaratskhelia scored two vital goals in the 5-4 barnburner against Bayern Munich in the semifinal first leg, and he added an assist in the second fixture. He also won the equalising penalty in the final against Arsenal, which PSG went on to win on penalties.

Those efforts were more than enough to earn the Georgian the Champions League’s Player of the Season award. 

Aside from the counting stats, Kvara consistently made defenders tremble as he burst down the wing, using his lightning pace, quick feet, smart movement, and sheer force of will to make it into the box before providing a game-defining moment.