Former Germany captain Lothar Matthäus has named Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele as his choice for the 2026 Ballon d'Or.
Writing in his Sky Sports column after the end of the FIFA World Cup in North America, the Bayern Munich legend said Dembele is best placed to win the award this year. Matthäus, who won the Ballon d'Or in 1990, said the competition is wide open following Spain's World Cup triumph and argued that team success across the season will be decisive.
Matthäus said Spain's Rodri was the leader of the side that won the tournament and claimed the Golden Ball as the best player at the World Cup, but he does not believe that will be enough for a second Ballon d'Or.
He pointed to Dembele's club achievements as the difference, noting that the Frenchman helped PSG win Ligue 1 and retain the UEFA Champions League, scoring key goals in the knockout stage including in the final. Because Spain's victory was driven by a collective effort, Matthäus said no single Spanish player stands out as a clear winner.
The 64-year-old also assessed other contenders. He said Kylian Mbappe finished as the World Cup's top scorer and became the competition's all-time leading goalscorer, but Real Madrid went without a major trophy last season, which hurts his case.
He praised Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise for leading both the Bundesliga and the World Cup in assists, adding that Olise and teammate Harry Kane, the Bundesliga's leading scorer, secured a domestic double with Bayern and reached the World Cup semi-finals with France and England respectively.