Luis Enrique Backs Fabián Ruiz for Ballon d'Or

Luis Enrique has been spotted in the PSG training ground, backing Fabian Ruiz to win this year's Ballon d'Or, after outlining his trophies and titles of the just concluded season.

Fabián Ruiz has emerged as one of the most decorated Spanish midfielders of his generation, and Luis Enrique has praised what the Paris Saint-Germain star has achieved.

Ruiz has collected some of the biggest honours available in international and club football.

He won the Euro 2024 with Spain before helping PSG win the Champions League in 2025. He then played a role in Spain's 2026 World Cup triumph, giving him another major international title.

Ruiz was also part of PSG's Champions League-winning campaign in 2025-26, adding another European title to his growing collection.

His rise has been particularly interesting because Luis Enrique previously admitted that he made a mistake by leaving Ruiz out of Spain's squad for the 2022 World Cup. The coach later said: “I didn't take him to the World Cup and I think I was wrong.”

Ruiz's success also earned him a place among the nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or. However, he did not win the award that year, with his PSG teammate Ousmane Dembélé taking the prize.

That makes the Ballon d'Or debate around Ruiz an interesting one.

His trophy cabinet is already extraordinary, but winning the individual award requires more than collecting team honours. His performances, influence and individual numbers will also be judged against the other leading candidates.

Still, there is no doubt that Ruiz has built an impressive résumé.

Does Fabián Ruiz deserve to be considered a serious Ballon d'Or contender?