Updated: 26 May 2026 13:17 BST | 5 min read
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Declan Rice
© IMAGO
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer
Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020
The 2026 Champions League final is nearly here, with Arsenal desperate to win the competition for the first time in their history and Paris Saint-Germain aiming to secure back-to-back victories after a 5-0 win over Inter Milan last year.
Both clubs won their domestic leagues in 2025-26 and they are therefore both looking to win a memorable double on Saturday night as they do battle in Budapest.
PSG boss Luis Enrique will take charge of his third Champions League final when his side walk out at the Puskas Arena, while it will be first time in Mikel Arteta’s managerial career that he will be in the dugout for a European final of any kind.
Arsenal head into the heavyweight clash as slight underdogs for victory, despite their form this season, with PSG having impressively knocked out Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich en route to the showpiece final for the second consecutive year.
In addition to deciding this year’s Champions League winners, Saturday’s fixture will also be pivotal in the race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or" href="https://www.footballtransfers.com/en/transfer-news/uk-premier-league/2025/09/ballon-dor-2026-shortlist-favourites-latest-odds-date-past-winners" target="_blank">2026 Ballon d’Or.
Bayern Munich duo Harry Kane and Michael Olise are among the favourites to claim the prize following excellent campaigns in Bavaria, and they will both have the opportunity to improve their chance of victory at the upcoming World Cup. However, Arsenal star Declan Rice and PSG attacking pair Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele also feature prominently in the betting odds to win the Ballon d’Or.
Rice has been Arsenal’s standout performer this term, while Kvaratskhelia and Dembele have both been in superb form for PSG in 2025-26. The latter is currently deemed to be a more likely winner as he looks to defend his crown, but the former would be the more deserved champion as things stand.
As a result, Rice and Kvaratskhelia could go head-to-head for the Ballon d’Or on Saturday night.
The argument for Declan Rice
Saturday will be Rice’s 55th club appearance of the season and he has performed consistently well in virtually every match he has played this term.
The England star has five goals and 11 assists in all competitions - a more than respectable tally for a central midfielder - and his deliveries from set pieces have been a key factor behind Arsenal’s success in 2025-26.
Rice constantly wins the midfield battle against his opposite number and he has been arguably the most important player for the Gunners this year, alongside goalkeeper David Raya and the centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
With a Premier League winners medal already in his cabinet this season, few could deny that Rice would be a worthy winner of the Ballon d’Or if Arsenal also secure their first ever Champions League crown and he performs well for England at the 2026 World Cup.
Declan Rice, Arsenal
© IMAGO - Declan Rice, Arsenal
The argument for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
Unlike Rice, Kvaratskhelia will not be competing at the World Cup and he therefore doesn’t have that to fall back on. Winning the Champions League, and performing well in the final, is therefore crucial for his Ballon d’Or hopes.
The Georgia international has played significantly less minutes than Rice this season, but his contribution has arguably been even greater than the Arsenal man. Eight goals and four assists in 28 Ligue 1 games, en route to the title, isn’t a truly spectacular return, however Kvaratskhelia arguably deserves the Ballon d’Or based solely on his form in the Champions League.
After three goals and three assists in the league phase, he turned things up to a different level in the knockouts. Kvarakshelia has scored seven goals and provided three assists in eight knockout games, and he has been simply unstoppable since coming off the bench versus Chelsea in the last-16.
He tore Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich to shreds, and was the standout attacker in a semi-final that was also graced by Dembele, Kane, Olise, Desire Doue and Luis Diaz. If he is the difference-maker in the final, which is a real possibility, the Ballon d’Or could be his.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG
© IMAGO - Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, PSG
Rice vs Kvaratskhelia: Who will come out on top?
The Ballon d’Or is supposed to be an individual award based on individual performances, but both Rice and Kvaratskhelia are unlikely to win unless they lift the Champions League trophy on Saturday night.
Rice has the benefit of being involved at this summer’s World Cup and Kvaratskhelia must therefore play a starring role for PSG in the Champions League final if he is to claim the biggest individual prize in football.
The Arsenal star has also performed more consistently over the course of the entire season, with Kvaratskhelia coming into his own in 2026 after a slow start to the campaign. However, his performances in the Champions League knockout stages have been electric and he is arguably the more likely player to light up the final too, given his style of play.
Either way, both players must perform on the biggest stage in European football, otherwise the Ballon d’Or could be heading to either Kane or Olise, who are arguably more worthy contenders as things stand.
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Cameron Smith
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Cameron Smith is a Digital Content Producer for FootballTransfers, having joined the team upon its inception in November 2020.
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