Having recorded 10 goals and 6 assists in 15 Champions League matches this season, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is having a stellar campaign with PSG and is considered a frontrunner for the 2026 Ballon d’Or
.However, pundit Walid Acherchour believes that Paris Saint-Germain’s number 7 will not take home the trophy for one simple reason: his nationality. Acherchour argues that being Georgian will ultimately work against him.
“Kvaratskhelia is the Ballon d’Or favorite,” Acherchour stated decisively onWinamax FCWednesday night, following the 1-1 draw against Bayern Munich. “But he won’t get it because he is Georgian.”
He added: “Kvaratskhelia is Wolverine. He is the man of the 2025-2026 Champions League.”
The fact that Georgia will not compete in the World Cup this summer is also expected to be a major disadvantage for Kvaratskhelia in the race for the prestigious individual award.