Paris St-Germain (PSG) have 10 players shortlisted for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, the prestigious award given annually to the best male footballer in the world. The ceremony will take place in London on 26 October. Among the candidates are Ousmane Dembele and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, both PSG players, who have shown mutual respect and support for each other’s chances of winning the award. Dembele even joked about the possibility of them sharing the honor, highlighting their friendly rivalry. Kvaratskhelia joined PSG in January 2025 for £59 million from Italian club Napoli, where he earned the nickname "Kvaradona" due to his outstanding performance during the 2022-23 season, which saw him help Napoli win the Serie A title. He was named the best player in the Champions League last season, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists, with a remarkable average of a goal or assist every 72 minutes. His father played for Dinamo Tbilisi and the Azerbaijani national team, and Kvaratskhelia has cited Cristiano Ronaldo as his main inspiration. Dembele, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2025, had an incredible 2025-26 season, scoring and assisting 31 times across all competitions. His goal contribution rate of 1.27 per 90 minutes was the highest among players in Europe’s top five leagues. He also played a key role for France in 2026, scoring six goals in 10 appearances as the team reached the World Cup semi-finals. Dembele and Kvaratskhelia have developed a strong on-field understanding, with Kvaratskhelia noting that they "understand each other very, very much." Other notable candidates for the Ballon d'Or include England captain Harry Kane, who scored a club record 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich last season and added six goals at the World Cup. Lamine Yamal, who won La Liga with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain, is considered the second favorite, followed by Rodri. Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe scored 42 goals in 44 games for his club last season and won the World Cup Golden Boot with 10 goals. Lionel Messi, aiming to win his ninth Ballon d'Or, has also been nominated, along with Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup final. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d'Or, and the London ceremony is a tribute to the award’s first winner, Sir Stanley Matthews.