Cannavaro’s Ballon d’Or verdict: ‘No doubt’ over winner, Mbappé snubbed

Cannavaro’s Ballon d’Or verdict: ‘No doubt’ over winner, Mbappé snubbed Italy legend Fabio Cannavaro insists Khvicha Kvaratskhelia deserves to win the Ballon d’Or: ‘I have a good memory; I don’t just focus on the most recent events.’ Former Italy defender Cannavaro has clear ideas about who should win the 2026 Ballon d’Or. The winner will be announced on October 26, and Cannavaro knows exactly who should receive the coveted award. BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – MAY 30: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Paris Saint-Germain runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League Final 2026 match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal FC at Puskas Arena on May 30, 2026 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) “I have a good memory; I don’t just focus on the most recent events,” he told Gazzetta. “In last season’s Champions League, Kvaratskhelia was the most influential player from a footballing standpoint, and if I had to choose, I would have no doubt. “Everyone may use the World Cup as their benchmark; think of Mbappé or consider Messi and his career, but Kvara did extraordinary things,” Cannavaro concluded. A former Napoli star, Kvaratskhelia has won back-to-back Champions League titles with PSG, lifting the trophy in 2025 and 2026. Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates scoring the 0-2 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and SSC Napoli, in Milan, Italy, 29 October 2024. EPA-EFE/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO He scored 19 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 appearances for PSG across all competitions last season. During his time at Napoli, Kvara dona  won a historic Serie A title in 2022-23, the first one after the Maradona era. The Georgia international scored 30 goals and provided 20 assists in 107 matches with the Partenopei. Cannavaro won the Ballon d’Or exactly 20 years ago, months after helping Italy win the World Cup. The 53-year-old led Uzbekistan at the 2026 World Cup. LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 22: Fabio Cannavaro, Head Coach of GNK Dinamo, looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD7 match between Arsenal FC and GNK Dinamo at Emirates Stadium on January 22, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) “We are pleased with the path we’ve taken. We approached the World Cup with enthusiasm and treated it like a series of university lectures that taught us valuable lessons,” said the ex-Italy captain. “We came out of it better, regardless of the results. I had the chance to experience an unforgettable month, one of the best ever.”