A clearer communication would have helped PSG retain the Men’s Ballon d’Or, according to France Football editor-in-chief Vincent Garcia. Speaking to L’Equipe, the man tasked with keeping secret the identity of the Ballon d’Or winners has criticized the back-to-back UEFA Champions League winners’ policy, a year after Ousmane Dembélé’s triumph in Paris. Despite retaining Europe’s premier club competition, Les Parisiens have placed none of their players in the top 5 rankings, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembélé and Fabian Ruiz respectively 6th, 7th and 10th.

Garcia believes that PSG’s “communication” cost them a second shot at Ballon d’Or glory due to split votes. “I think PSG’s communication was perhaps not very clear, trying to highlight three players, then two“. France Football’s editor-in-chief says Les Parisiens should have gone all in on a single player: Dembélé. “It’s not my job, I don’t do PR, I think they should have really gone for a player, and for me, they should have gone for the Ballon d’Or winner, that is, Ousmane Dembélé.“

On the other end, Garcia commended Kylian Mbappé’s campaign. The Real Madrid and France international striker was eventually pipped to the accolade by Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, but by a small margin. “I think Mbappé ran a very good campaign because he was able to explain things well and really get the message across to people, including the judges.” Garcia notably added that Mbappé was able to highlight his achievements in a World Cup year, when the France captain hit ten goals in America.