Kylian Mbappe’s latest comments about the Ballon d’Or race have triggered fresh tensions at Paris Saint-Germain, with the club reviewing its approach to promoting its own candidates for football’s most prestigious individual award.
PSG had initially backed three of its players – Ousmane Dembele, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Fabian Ruiz – as part of a broad media campaign designed to give each player equal exposure. The strategy included interviews and other promotional activities aimed at avoiding a repeat of the controversy surrounding last season’s award.
However, French reports say the club has now changed direction and intends to concentrate its support on Dembele and Kvaratskhelia.
The decision means Ruiz has been left out of the new approach, despite having featured prominently in PSG’s promotional campaigns at the start of the month. Reports indicate that the Spain midfielder discovered the change through the media rather than directly from the club.
The shift is understood to be linked to concerns within some sections of the PSG hierarchy that spreading support across three players could divide votes and ultimately reduce their chances against other contenders.
The development has also brought Mbappe back into the centre of discussions at his former club, despite his departure.
According to reports in the French media, Mbappe’s recent statements about the Ballon d’Or have become part of internal conversations among PSG officials. His continued prominence in the media has reportedly encouraged figures close to club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to call for a more concentrated campaign.
The proposed approach would see PSG focus its efforts on two candidates rather than continuing with the three-player strategy used at the beginning of the campaign.
The dispute has therefore developed beyond a straightforward contest between individual players. The club’s media strategy has become an important part of its efforts to promote its representatives and maintain its presence at the centre of the global football spotlight.
PSG has not publicly confirmed the reasons behind the reported change.
When asked about the club’s revised approach, PSG responded cautiously, pointing instead to the strength of its overall representation among this year’s nominees.
The club said that having ten players on the Ballon d’Or nomination list was a source of great pride and reflected the collective work and achievements of the team during the season. It also stressed that, in its view, one of its players deserves to win the award.
That response, however, has done little to settle questions about the reported change in strategy.
It has also left uncertainty over why PSG appears to have reduced its support for Ruiz, particularly after the midfielder was given significant exposure in the club’s promotional activities earlier this month.
With the Ballon d’Or race continuing to attract intense attention, PSG’s decision to narrow its campaign has added another layer to the competition involving its current stars, while Mbappe’s comments continue to feature prominently in discussions surrounding the club’s approach.
