Kroos says he would have awarded Ballon d’Or to Kvaratskhelia

Former Real Madrid and Germany player Toni Kroos has shared his views on the results of the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting, saying he would have awarded the prize to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Kroos said no player had won every title available this year. The former Germany international said voting takes on a different character in a World Cup year, stressing that the tournament’s results carry particular weight.

Considering only the club season, he said Kvaratskhelia had performed exceptionally and was the best player at Europe’s strongest team. Kvaratskhelia finished sixth overall, which, Kroos said, showed he would have had a good chance of winning had the World Cup not been taken into account.

Speaking on the “Einfach mal Luppen” podcast, Kroos said the players who finished above Kvaratskhelia had all impressed at the World Cup. In his view, without the tournament, Kylian Mbappe would not have made the top five, and it would also have been difficult for Lamine Yamal to reach that ranking.

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or.