Not Rodri or Yamal, a new 'monster' emerges to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or

Kvaratskhelia continues to shine, helping PSG defeat Aston Villa, thereby keeping his chances for the 2026 Ballon d'Or alive.

Kvaratskhelia shines again in the final

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is gaining more grounds to compete for the 2026 Ballon d'Or after helping Paris Saint-Germain defeat Aston Villa 2-1 to win the European Super Cup. The Georgian star directly opened the scoring and continued to make his mark in a big match.

At the Salzburg Stadium, Kvaratskhelia once again showed his ability to make a difference. In the 20th minute, the Georgian striker received the ball on the left wing, handled it skillfully before cutting inside and unleashing a right-footed shot that left goalkeeper Marco Bizot helpless.

Aston Villa then found an equalizer through Brian Madjo, but PSG still won when Desire Doue scored in the second half. The European Super Cup title continues to give Kvaratskhelia another notable milestone in his PSG career.

Champions League performance is a big plus

The 2025/26 season is a turning point in Kvaratskhelia's career. He scored 10 goals and provided 6 assists in 16 Champions League matches, and was also voted by UEFA as the Best Player of the tournament.

Kvaratskhelia also became the first Georgian player to win this individual award. Notably, he performed outstandingly in the knockout stage, scoring a brace in the 5-4 win over Bayern Munich in the first leg of the semi-final.

In the final against Arsenal, although he did not directly score, Kvaratskhelia still made his mark by winning a penalty that Ousmane Dembele converted to equalize. PSG then completed the win and became Champions League champions.

Not attending the World Cup but Kvaratskhelia still has a chance

The biggest disadvantage for Kvaratskhelia in the Ballon d'Or race is that he cannot participate in the 2026 World Cup because Georgia did not qualify.

Meanwhile, candidates like Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, or Lionel Messi have the opportunity to make their mark on the biggest stage in the world. However, the Ballon d'Or is not only determined by World Cup performance.

Consistency throughout the season, team titles, and individual impact are still important factors. For Kvaratskhelia, PSG's continued conquest of European trophies helps him maintain his position in the race.

Vitinha once praised Kvaratskhelia as one of the PSG players capable of competing for the Ballon d'Or, alongside Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz.

The new season has just begun, but Kvaratskhelia has already scored in a European final. If he continues to maintain his form and helps PSG win more titles, the Georgian star can completely turn the Ballon d'Or dream into a realistic goal.