Dembele and Kvaratskhelia: PSG's Ballon d'Or duo pushing each other to glory

Paris Saint-Germain arrives at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony with a luxury problem: two of its own stars are competing for the same individual prize, and neither seems to want it for himself. Ousmane Dembele, the current holder, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, his attacking partner, have spent the build-up to the London gala praising each other's candidacy. The ceremony takes place on 26 October, the 70th anniversary of the award.

• PSG has 10 players on the shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
• Dembele and Kvaratskhelia jokingly suggested cutting the trophy in two to share it.
• Kvaratskhelia was named last season's Champions League best player with 10 goals and 6 assists.
• Dembele registered 31 combined goals and assists last term, averaging 1.27 contributions per 90 minutes.
• Harry Kane is the bookmakers' favourite after scoring 61 goals for Bayern Munich.

Total chemistry: how the PSG duo understand each other

The bond between the two forwards goes beyond simple professionalism. During a relaxed exchange, Dembele floated the idea of splitting the golden ball in half. The joke revealed a genuine respect: the French winger insisted his teammate had an exceptional season and fully deserved the recognition.

Kvaratskhelia was equally emphatic in his response. The Georgian highlighted how Dembele leads the team and praised the personality and presence he brings to the pitch every single week. PSG supporters have watched this selfless connection develop over the past year and a half, as the pair combined ruthlessly during their Champions League title defence.

Kvaratskhelia: from Naples idol to global contender

PSG paid £59 million to sign Kvaratskhelia from Napoli in January 2025. The then 23-year-old arrived in Paris with a reputation already secured in Italy: Napoli fans nicknamed him 'Kvaradona' during the club's Scudetto triumph in 2022-23. His flair, technical ability and directness prompted Gianfranco Zola to compare his style to George Best.

Kvaratskhelia points to Cristiano Ronaldo as his biggest inspiration rather than the Northern Irish legend. From his idol he has adopted an unrelenting work rate and a winning mentality. The impact has been measurable: PSG have lifted 10 trophies out of a possible 12 since his arrival in the French capital.

Best in Europe: Champions League numbers of a superstar

Last season's Champions League campaign confirmed Kvaratskhelia as the most decisive player on the continent. He was named the competition's best player after scoring 10 goals and providing 6 assists, averaging a goal contribution every 72 minutes. His production spiked in the knockouts: he became the first player ever to score or assist in seven consecutive knockout matches in a single Champions League season.

The drive comes from his family. His father represented Dinamo Tbilisi and the Azerbaijan national team. Khvicha followed the same path at Dinamo before moving to Russia, playing for Lokomotiv Moscow and Rubin Kazan. The invasion of Ukraine prompted a return home, with a spell at Dinamo Batumi before his move to Napoli.

For big nations it is really difficult to understand what winning a Ballon d'Or would mean for a small country like Georgia. It is something very far, almost impossible. I would be the happiest guy because I want to make my family and country proud.

Dembele: the champion who refuses to be a one-hit wonder

While defenders double up on Kvaratskhelia down the left, Dembele exploits the space on the right. At 29, the Frenchman pairs blistering pace with increasingly clinical finishing. Last season he totalled 31 goal contributions in all competitions, working out at 1.27 per 90 minutes played.

Only Harry Kane boasted a better per-90 rate among players in Europe's top five leagues. Dembele also delivered for France in 2026, scoring six times in 10 international appearances as Les Bleus reached the World Cup semi-finals.

His path to this level has not always been smooth. Barcelona paid £135.5 million to Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for a player expected to define a generation. Injuries and inconsistency disrupted his time in Spain, but PSG saw a bargain in the £43.5 million fee paid in 2023. Since Kylian Mbappe left for Real Madrid, Dembele has become the undisputed star of the French club.

I didn't change. I played my game last season and the one before when I won the Ballon d'Or. I stayed the same person. When you win it for the first time, you don't want people to say you were lucky. You want to continue to be at the top.

The 2026 Ballon d'Or race: who challenges the PSG pair?

The PSG duo face stiff competition for the award. Harry Kane is the bookmakers' favourite after a record-breaking campaign with Bayern Munich: 61 goals in 51 games, a domestic double, and six more strikes at the World Cup in North America.

Lamine Yamal, a LaLiga champion with Barcelona and a World Cup winner with Spain, is the second favourite, ahead of his club and international teammate Rodri. Kylian Mbappe, now at Real Madrid, scored 42 goals in 44 club matches and claimed the World Cup Golden Boot with 10 goals, becoming the tournament's all-time leading scorer.

Lionel Messi is also nominated as he chases a ninth Ballon d'Or with Inter Miami, while Ferran Torres — who scored Spain's winner in the World Cup final — completes the list of major contenders alongside his PSG colleagues.

70 years of the Ballon d'Or: why the ceremony is in London

The 2026 edition marks the 70th anniversary of the most prestigious individual prize in football. London was chosen as the host city as a tribute to the first winner, England's Sir Stanley Matthews. On 26 October, the English capital will witness a ceremony with a distinctly Parisian flavour to the shortlist.