Désiré Doué omitted from Ballon d’Or 2026 shortlist

Désiré Doué’s omission from the 2026 Ballon d’Or list has triggered a fierce reaction in France, with former Paris Saint-Germain player Jérôme Rothen challenging the decision. The forward had helped his club win a second successive Champions League title, but was left outside the final selection.

Rothen argued that Doué’s performances in Europe made his exclusion difficult to accept. The Parisian featured in the knockout ties against Liverpool and Bayern Munich before playing the entire final against Arsenal. Rothen also pointed to Luis Enrique’s decision to use Doué in major European matches as evidence that the attacker had earned stronger recognition.

The criticism became personal in tone, with Rothen accusing the selectors in crude terms of either failing to see Doué’s level or not watching the matches. His anger focused especially on the players who were included instead.

Doué had finished 14th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting. The explanation behind his latest omission was a narrow decision involving Bradley Barcola: the two reportedly divided the selection committee almost evenly, with Doué eventually placed around 31st or 32nd. His periods on the bench and the competition from Barcola weakened his individual case despite his decisive European role.