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

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN - MARCH 30: Fabio Cannavaro, Head Coach of Uzbekistan, reacts during the international friendly match between Uzbekistan and Venezuela on March 30, 2026 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. (Photo by Anvar Ilyasov/Getty Images)

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.

“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.

He scored 19 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 appearances for PSG across all competitions last season.

During his time at Napoli, Kvaradona 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.

“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.”