REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli
On 26 October, the 2026 Ballon d'Or winner will be named. At the moment, there are some obvious favourites, including World Cup winners Lamine Yamal and Rodri. However, the Spanish press have claimed that one 'underrated' star should be in with a shout.
Last year, Ousmane Dembele claimed the award after he fired Paris Saint-Germain to Champions League glory. Having won that competition again, the Frenchman could yet retain his prize. PSG teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is another contender, while the likes of Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe all enhanced their hopes with impressive displays in North America this summer.
Truthfully, there is no certain winner at this stage. Indeed, despite winning the 2026 World Cup, Yamal wasn't quite at his best this summer – and while Rodri was the tournament's best player, the 2024 winner wasn't really in the race beforehand after an injury-hit season at Manchester City.
Amid the uncertainty, momentum is growing in Spain for a surprise candidate.
Spanish Midfielder Tipped for Ballon d'Or
REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
Several Spanish journalists, as noted by Goal, now believe that PSG and La Furia Roja midfielder Fabian Ruiz should be viewed as a serious contender. Most notably, Alvaro Martin of Marca argued:
It's certainly true that Ruiz was key for Spain this summer. After all, he was the man trusted to come into the team for Pedri, giving better balance to the team. The 30-year-old played in all eight World Cup matches and started alongside Rodri in the final against Argentina
With that in mind, plus his Champions League-winning campaign with PSG, it's not hard to see why some think he should be a consideration in the 2026 Ballon d'Or vote. Adding to the claims, Marca's report noted:
Spain's Lamine Yamal celebrates with the World Cup trophy
Spain's Lamine Yamal celebrates with the World Cup trophy
Luis Enrique and Vitinha Discuss Fabian Ruiz's Ballon d'Or hopes
Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique talking during a press conference
Lending support to the notion, PSG teammate Vitinha – who came third in the 2025 Ballon d'Or vote – claimed that Ruiz was among his three personal favourites, explaining: "Fabian Ruiz won everything."
On top of this, club manager Luis Enrique could not help but weigh in on the speculation. Although he appeared to be joking, he told French media outlet RMC:
It's certainly true that Ruiz has enjoyed a rather spectacular career over the past few seasons. Since 2022/23, he has won four Ligue 1 titles in a row, the Coupe de France twice, the Champions League twice, as well as Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup. Other lesser trophies include the 2023 Nations League, two UEFA Super Cups, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and three Trophée des Champions.
It feels unlikely that Ruiz will win the prize, but after winning the Champions League with Chelsea and the Euros with Italy, understated midfielder Jorginho finished third in the 2021 Ballon d'Or race. Perhaps something similar could happen for the Spaniard in 2026.