The Christophe Galtier Ballon d’Or verdict has given Paris Saint-Germain fans plenty to talk about this week. Speaking to Le Parisien, the former PSG boss said he would love to see a player from a French club lift this year’s award. He pointed straight to Fabián Ruiz as his pick, based on the trophies the midfielder has won. Galtier managed PSG before moving on from the club, so his read on the race carries some extra weight with supporters who remember his spell in the dugout.
The timing adds extra interest. Ruiz has just signed a new contract at the Parc des Princes, committing his future to the club for the years ahead. He has also admitted that a move to another club later in his career still appeals to him. It is a reminder that long term planning and short term ambition can sit comfortably side by side.
Galtier Highlights Trophy Record in Fabián Ruiz Endorsement
Asked who he felt deserved consideration for the Ballon d’Or, Galtier did not hedge. In his Galtier’s Ballon d’Or comments to Le Parisien, he turned to Ruiz first and explained his reasoning with a simple look at the trophy cabinet.
I’d love that! If we look at the trophies won, I’d mention Fabián Ruiz
Galtier’s logic is straightforward. Ruiz arrived at PSG with questions still hanging over his consistency. His trophy return since then has been hard to ignore.
Ballon d’Or voters have long leaned on team success when weighing individual merit. A player who collects major honours across a single campaign builds a strong case almost by default. Previous winners have rarely come from sides that finished a season empty handed, and Ruiz’s medal collection gives him a stronger platform than many rival midfielders across Europe.
Galtier is not claiming Ruiz will win the award outright. He is simply arguing that the midfielder belongs in the conversation. Few at the club would disagree that PSG’s recent success has carried his fingerprints throughout midfield.
Praise for Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia in European Race
Galtier did not stop at Ruiz. Pressed further on which players had impressed him most on the pitch rather than in the trophy count, he widened his answer to include two more names closely tied to PSG and France’s wider push in Europe.
If we focus on the matches, I think Ousmane Dembélé, even though he hasn’t played much, and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have been very impressive. One of these three players would deserve to win the Ballon d’Or. I’d be happy for them, and I’d be happy if a player from a French team won it.
Dembélé has made his own feelings about individual recognition clear before, including his reply to Mbappe on individual awards. That outlook lines up with Dembélé’s stance on individual trophies more broadly. He and Kvaratskhelia have also shown they are capable of Dembélé and Kvaratskhelia supporting each other rather than competing for attention.
That matters here. Galtier’s framing treats the award as a genuine three-way conversation rather than a one-horse race. His hope for a French club winner should be read as exactly that: a wish, not a prediction.
The wider race remains crowded, with voters weighing performances from well beyond Ligue 1. Even so, Galtier’s answer shows how much depth PSG and France believe they have among the contenders.
Contract Reality and Transfer Ambitions at Parc des Princes
The Christophe Galtier Ballon d’Or remarks land just as Ruiz’s immediate future at PSG has been settled. The midfielder recently signed a new contract at the club, a deal that reflects how central he has become to the side Galtier was praising. PSG will see the agreement as proof the relationship is in good shape for now, even if both sides know nothing beyond it is guaranteed.
Ruiz has still been candid about where his ambitions sit further down the line. He has admitted that playing for another club later in his career holds real appeal, even while he is tied to a fresh deal in Paris. That honesty does not undercut his commitment now. It simply reflects a player thinking beyond this single season, which supporters can understand even if they would rather not picture PSG’s midfield without him just yet.
