October 3, 2026
Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, a professional with Manchester City, revealed his most prominent choice to win the Ballon d’Or, passing on to his former teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, the Frenchman Ousmane Dembélé.
Donnarumma’s statements came after the positive draw that brought together the Italian and French teams, one to the same, in a confrontation that witnessed a remarkable brilliance by the Italian goalkeeper, who was crowned with the Man of the Match award, according to the “Foot Mercato” network.
Despite the direct confrontation that brought them together on the field, Donnarumma answered briefly when asked about the player most deserving of the next Golden Ball, nominating his former companion Ousmane Dembélé.
It is noteworthy that the duo previously played together for Paris Saint-Germain, before the Italian goalkeeper moved to the ranks of Manchester City, while Dembélé was crowned with the 2025 Ballon d’Or award as a culmination of his exceptional season with the Parisian club.
