Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos has backed one of his teammates to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, saying he hopes the prestigious individual award remains at the French club.
The Brazilian defender, however, refused to single out any particular PSG player from the club’s record number of nominees for this year’s prize.
Speaking ahead of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League clash with Slovan Bratislava, Marquinhos was asked about the Ballon d’Or race after France Football announced the 30-man shortlist.
The PSG captain responded that he hoped the award would go to one of the club’s players, stressing that the team has several outstanding candidates.
“I hope it’s someone from PSG. We have very good players. I can’t tell you one,” Marquinhos said.
He also joked with reporters about his own nomination, asking whether his name was on the list before noting that the Ballon d’Or was an individual award.
The comments come after a remarkable season for PSG, which successfully defended its UEFA Champions League crown and strengthened its dominance in European football.
The Parisian club has broken its own record by having 10 players nominated among the 30 contenders for the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or.
The nominees are Ousmane Dembélé, Achraf Hakimi, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, João Neves, Willian Pacho, Fabián Ruiz, Ferran Torres and Vitinha.
Dembélé, who won the 2025 Ballon d’Or, is seeking to retain the award, while several of his PSG teammates have also emerged as contenders following the club’s successful European campaign.
The number of PSG nominees surpasses the club’s previous record of nine players in the 2025 shortlist and establishes a new record for the most players from a single club to be nominated in one edition of the award.
Marquinhos himself earned his second Ballon d’Or nomination after playing a key role in PSG’s Champions League triumph.
The Brazilian started all 15 of the club’s Champions League matches during the campaign, playing 1,319 minutes and scoring twice. He has also become PSG’s all-time leader for appearances in European competition, with 122 appearances for the club.
His nomination is therefore recognition of a campaign in which he continued to provide leadership at the heart of PSG’s defence.
However, Marquinhos made it clear that he would not turn the discussion into a personal prediction.
Rather than choosing between Dembélé, Hakimi, Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, Fabián Ruiz and the other PSG nominees, the captain expressed his preference for the award to remain in Paris.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or race is expected to be closely contested, with Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane, Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and other leading stars also among the contenders.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26, with the 2026 edition marking the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or.
For PSG, the unprecedented 10 nominations underline the strength of a squad that has continued to produce individual recognition after establishing itself as one of Europe’s dominant clubs.
And for Marquinhos, the message is simple: whoever eventually wins the prize, he would rather see another PSG player lift the Ballon d’Or.
Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The National Concord Blog Newsletter for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now below!
