Fabian Ruiz deserves greater recognition in the 2026 Ballon d’Or race after helping Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League and Spain lift the World Cup during an outstanding 2025/26 season.

According to a report by FootballTransfers on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, the 30-year-old midfielder remains overlooked despite his achievements and another impressive performance in PSG’s 4-2 Champions League victory over Barcelona at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

Ruiz scored PSG’s fourth goal to seal the win, adding to a display that once again highlighted his importance to Luis Enrique’s side.

However, he is receiving far less attention than leading contenders such as Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe ahead of the Ballon d’Or ceremony on October 26.

His statistics from last season were modest, with three goals and six assists, but his influence extends beyond the numbers.

Ruiz has built his reputation on consistency, tactical intelligence and his ability to control midfield battles rather than producing the eye-catching moments that often attract individual awards.

His importance was evident in the Champions League final against Arsenal, when Luis Enrique selected him ahead of Warren Zaire-Emery.

Ruiz also became increasingly influential for Spain during their World Cup campaign, earning a starting place in the quarter-final against Belgium and scoring before retaining his position for the remainder of the tournament.

By contrast, Yamal failed to register a goal or assist across Spain’s five knockout matches, although the Barcelona youngster remains a more prominent name in the Ballon d’Or conversation.

Ruiz has openly acknowledged his ambition to win the award, believing he is at the peak of his career after collecting major honours at club and international level.

Luis Enrique has also backed his midfielder. The PSG manager was seen praising Ruiz during training and highlighting his achievements, including the World Cup, European Championship and consecutive Champions League titles.

However, Ruiz faces an uphill battle. Midfielders who excel through consistency and positional discipline often struggle to compete with forwards whose goals and individual highlights dominate award discussions.

His situation has drawn comparisons with Jorginho, who finished third in the 2021 Ballon d’Or voting after helping Italy win the European Championship and Chelsea secure the Champions League.