Luis Enrique says a PSG player must win Ballon d'Or

Luis Enrique is not concerned about the identity of this year's Ballon d'Or winner, though he strongly feels it should be another Paris Saint-Germain player after their successes in 2025-26.

Ousmane Dembele was crowned the world's best player last year, after spearheading PSG's first Champions League triumph in 2024-25, and they then went back-to-back in 2025-26.

However, there is a consensus that few players have a complete case for football's most prestigious individual honour this time around.

While Dembele saw his involvement restricted by niggling injuries in 2025-26, other contenders from across Europe – including Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Harry Kane – fell short of Champions League or World Cup glory. 

PSG and Spain midfielder Fabian Ruiz was the only player to win both of those trophies, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been tipped as a potential outsider after a phenomenal 2025-26 campaign in which he matched Kane and Mbappe with a joint-high 16 goal involvements in the Champions League (10 goals, six assists).

Midfielder Vitinha has also been touted as another contender.

And when asked about the Ballon d'Or race ahead of Friday's Ligue 1 clash with Monaco at the Parc des Princes, Luis Enrique noted the importance of team accolades.

"I'm not interested in who wins the Ballon d'Or, but in my opinion, it must be a PSG player," he told reporters.

"We have everything. We have players who have won the Champions League. We have Fabian, who won the World Cup. 

"We have Ousmane, who won the Ballon d'Or last season. That's my opinion, but I'm not interested in individual awards."

PSG are in the rare position of failing to win either of their opening two matches in a Ligue 1 campaign, with this just the third time that has occurred in the last 13 seasons (also D2 in 2023-24).

Monaco, on the other hand, have six points from two games under Filipe Luis, who led Flamengo to the Copa Libertadores trophy in his previous managerial job.

Monaco overcame Marseille 2-0 via Paris Brunner's brace last time out, and Luis Enrique has been impressed by the work of his managerial counterpart.

"It's his first experience with a European club, but he's already done a lot in Brazil. We saw what type of coach he is when we played against Flamengo [in the Intercontinental Cup]," said the Spaniard.

"When I heard that he was coming to France, at first I was happy, but then I told myself that maybe I shouldn't be! 

"It's important to have coaches like him for French football. I wish him the best, but only after the game against us!"

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Paris Saint-Germain – Maghnes Akliouche

Akliouche could be involved against his former club Monaco, for whom he made 139 appearances in all competitions. 

This could be his Parc des Princes debut for PSG, which is already the stadium – excluding the Stade Louis-II – where he has been involved in the most goals in his career in all competitions (three – two goals, one assist).

Monaco – Paris Brunner 

Excluding penalties, Brunner has the highest expected goals tally in Ligue 1 this season (1.87 xG). 

The Monaco forward has recorded more shots (nine to four) and touches in the opposition box (13 to 10) in 138 minutes of Ligue 1 play this season than he did in 127 minutes throughout the 2025-26 campaign.

MATCH PREDICTION – PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN WIN

PSG have lost their last two Ligue 1 matches against Monaco, but no team have beaten them three times in a row in the league since the Qatar Sports Investments takeover in 2011.

Indeed, since the start of 2020-21, PSG have lost six of their 12 Ligue 1 meetings with Monaco (W4 D2), at least two more defeats than they have suffered against any other side in that period.

And, following draws against Rennes and Lille, PSG could fail to win any of their opening three Ligue 1 matches for the first time since 2012-13 (D3, though they still won the title).

That season, PSG became just the second team in the 21st century to win the Ligue 1 title after failing to win any of their opening three matches, after Lille in 2010-11 (also D3).

However, with home advantage on their side, Luis Enrique's side are favourites.

PSG have won their first home match to start 10 of the last 12 Ligue 1 campaigns (D1 L1). They have kept a clean sheet in nine of those 12 matches, including each of their last three (0-0 v Lorient in 2023-24, 6-0 v Montpellier in 2024-25, 1-0 v Angers in 2025-26).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Paris Saint-Germain – 63.7%

Monaco – 17.1%

Draw – 19.2%