Fabián Ruiz has decided the quiet approach is not for him. In an interview with Spanish newspaper AS, the Paris Saint-Germain and Spain midfielder set his own trophy year against the Ballon d’Or shortlist and refused to talk himself down.
“The Ballon d’Or is a wonderful title, something every player wishes to win,” Ruiz said.
“I’ll try to finish the season in the highest possible position, and why not dream about it?”
His argument starts with the medal count.
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“At team level, I was the player who won the most titles, I think it’s seven titles in recent years,” Ruiz told AS. His haul across club and country in 2025-26 included the Champions League with PSG and the World Cup with Spain.
A midfielder’s argument
The bigger obstacle is not what Ruiz has done but where he plays. He named Rodri, the 2024 winner, and Luka Modrić, and made a broader claim about the vote.
“In recent years, the other positions have gained great importance and value,” he said.
“The defender or goalkeeper is no less important than the forward.”
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The favourites, and the profile problem
The 30-man shortlist is heavy on attackers. Harry Kane, Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé are the names most often quoted in analyses of the race, and Ruiz’s own PSG teammate Ousmane Dembélé is the reigning holder.
Ruiz is on the list, alongside seven other PSG players: Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Vitinha, João Neves, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho and Dembélé. He is not, however, the player his club’s campaign machinery has been built around.
His profile has always been low, and part of the 2025-26 season disappeared to injury at PSG. A recent analysis flatly called his prospects “practically impossible”, arguing that the award “remains a very political and media trophy” that punishes players who do not attract cameras.
Ruiz’s answer is that he is not going to campaign for himself.
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“I don’t like being in the spotlight or the centre of attention, but I think this year I can allow myself to be, given the season we’ve had, the work we’ve put in and the titles we’ve won.”
The Ballon d’Or ceremony is on Monday 26 October, staged in London.
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