Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has publicly stated that midfielder Vitinha deserved a higher placement in the 2026 Ballon d’Or standings. The Portuguese international finished 14th in the latest vote, a significant drop from his third-place finish in 2025. Speaking at a press conference at Campus PSG in Poissy on Thursday, October 29, ahead of Friday’s Ligue 1 match against Le Havre, Enrique expressed his opinion on the matter while noting he was glad the awards conversation had concluded. According to asked about the 26-year-old at his pre-match presser at the Campus PSG in Poissy on Thursday (October 29), before Friday’s Ligue 1 trip to bottom club Le Havre, Enrique, (via Goal ). Telling the same press conference he was glad the conversation about the Ballon d’Or was over, he had little appetite for the wider rankings.
Vitinha entered the October 26 event at the London Palladium with strong credentials, having secured a second consecutive Champions League title and maintaining his status as the primary playmaker in Enrique’s system. Despite his performance, he placed behind PSG teammate Achraf Hakimi, who finished 13th. The award was ultimately claimed by Harry Kane, with Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal rounding out the top three. He came out 14th, 11 places down on the third spot he took in 2025, behind teammate Achraf Hakimi in 13th and a long way from Harry Kane, who won the Ballon d’Or ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. No PSG player made the top five, 12 months after Dembélé won the award and Vitinha came third.
The voting period for the 2026 honor saw Vitinha record seven goals and 10 assists across all competitions. His influence in Europe was particularly notable; he netted six goals in 17 matches, including a hat-trick against Tottenham in November 2025. Furthermore, he set a high standard for distribution, recording 1,589 successful passes in a single European campaign. In the final against Arsenal, his 141 completed passes matched a record held by Xavi since the 2011 season.
Despite these individual achievements, analysts suggest that Portugal’s exit in the round of 16 at the World Cup, where they were defeated by tournament winners Spain, may have impacted his ranking. PSG had other representatives in the voting, including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in sixth, Ousmane Dembélé in seventh, and Fabián Ruiz in 10th. The club was recognized as Club of the Year for the second consecutive time, though no PSG player finished in the top five, marking a shift from the previous year when Dembélé took the top spot.
Vitinha is expected to feature for PSG in their upcoming league fixture against Le Havre at the Stade Océane this Friday, October 30.
