“Anything is possible” – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia might pull off an amazing achievement that only Kevin Keegan has done before.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has quickly become one of the most exciting attackers in world football. The talented Georgian stands out mainly because he’s so unpredictable on the pitch.
At 25 years old, Kvaratskhelia joined PSG in January 2025, moving from Napoli for around €80 million. He completed Luis Enrique’s attack, becoming a key player for the Ligue 1 club.
His impact at PSG is clear—he helped them win Ligue 1 and the Champions League twice, and was even named Champions League Player of the Season in the last campaign. Thanks to his great performances and the trophies he’s helped bring home, Kvaratskhelia is now a strong contender for the Ballon d’Or. If he wins, he’d join an exclusive club, as only Kevin Keegan has achieved something similar before.
Looking ahead to 2026, Kvaratskhelia is one of the favorites to lift the Ballon d’Or. If he wins, the prize wouldn’t travel far, since his PSG teammate Ousmane Dembele currently holds it.
While Kvaratskhelia’s Champions League success makes him a deserving winner, there’s one big hurdle: he didn’t play in the 2026 World Cup because Georgia didn’t qualify, finishing third behind Spain and Turkey in their group.
Kvaratskhelia spoke about his chances of winning the Ballon d’Or, saying: “I think it doesn’t depend on me but on the people who decide. Just being among these players is already a joy. In life and football, anything is possible—that’s why I’m here at PSG, and I’m proud of it. I didn’t know how many times a player won the Ballon d’Or without playing in the World Cup the same year,” he told L’Equipe.
He added, “It’s great when legends like Michel Platini and Toni Kroos say I deserve it. Even if just one person thinks I deserve such a big trophy, it means I’m doing my job right. I want to keep performing at this level. We’ll see what the future holds, and I’m ready for anything.”
In Ballon d’Or history, only one player has ever won the award in a World Cup year without playing in the tournament—Kevin Keegan.
The Newcastle United and Liverpool legend won the Ballon d’Or in 1978, even though England didn’t qualify for that World Cup. Keegan won the award twice, in back-to-back years, with his first win coming in 1978 and a runner-up finish in 1977.
In the late 1970s, Keegan was considered one of the best footballers in the world. In 1977, he helped Liverpool win the English league and their first European Cup, earning him that year’s runner-up spot for the Ballon d’Or.
He then moved to Hamburg for the 1977-78 season. While Hamburg finished 10th that season, Keegan scored 12 goals and impressed enough to win the Ballon d’Or. The following year, Hamburg won the Bundesliga with Keegan playing a key role, leading to his second Ballon d’Or in 1979.