Unai Emery names Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as Ballon d'Or favourite

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has named Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as his preferred candidate to win the Ballon d'Or. Speaking following his side's 2-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup, the former Arsenal manager identified the Georgia international as the frontrunner for the trophy.

Emery praised the impact Kvaratskhelia has delivered during his time at both Napoli and PSG. He described the player as fantastic and noted that his influence was significant during his tenure in Italy and continues to be evident in France.

The Aston Villa coach highlighted that Kvaratskhelia was among the top performers who did not participate in the World Cup. Emery noted that the player is currently fit and believes he has the capability to secure the award, though he clarified that the final decision rests with others.

Kvaratskhelia faces significant competition for the individual honour. The race for the 2026 Ballon d'Or includes several high-profile players such as Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid, Harry Kane of Bayern Munich, and Lamine Yamal of Barcelona.

Emery's comments came at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg during his post-match duties. The manager's assessment follows a narrow defeat for Aston Villa in the European competition.