Paris Saint-Germain manager, Luis Enrique has expressed disappointment over Vitinha’s position in the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings, insisting that the Portuguese midfielder deserved a much higher finish.
Vitinha placed 14th in the final voting, despite playing a key role in PSG’s successful campaign, which saw the French champions secure a second consecutive UEFA Champions League title.
The 26-year-old midfielder arrived at the London Palladium on October 26 with an impressive list of achievements, including his inclusion in the Champions League Team of the Season and another outstanding performance in PSG’s midfield.
However, his 14th-place finish represented a significant drop from his third-place position in the 2025 edition of the award.
He also finished behind PSG teammate Achraf Hakimi, who occupied 13th position, while Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane claimed the top prize ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal.
Speaking during a press conference at PSG’s Campus in Poissy on Thursday, October 29, ahead of their Ligue 1 encounter with Le Havre, Enrique praised Vitinha’s qualities and contribution to the team.
According to Goal, the Spanish manager said, “We know him well, so we’re not surprised. It’s a real pleasure to have a player with such technical and physical ability.”
Enrique further highlighted the midfielder’s importance to PSG, expressing satisfaction with having a player of his quality in the squad.
“His level is incredible. We’re very pleased to have a player of his calibre, even though he wasn’t ranked as highly as he deserves to be in the Ballon d’Or rankings,” he said.
The former Barcelona manager reiterated his position, maintaining that Vitinha’s individual quality should have earned him a better position in the prestigious award.
“He is incredibly talented… he deserves a better ranking in the Ballon d’Or award.”
Despite defending his midfielder, Enrique showed little interest in discussing the overall voting results, saying he was pleased that the Ballon d’Or conversation had come to an end.
PSG, however, had several representatives among the leading positions in this year’s rankings.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia finished sixth, Ousmane Dembélé came seventh, while Fabián Ruiz secured 10th position.
The French champions also retained the Club of the Year award for the second consecutive time.
However, no PSG player managed to break into the top five in 2026, a year after Dembélé won the Ballon d’Or and Vitinha finished third in the previous edition.
