Real Betis defender Fran García has backed Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Fabián Ruiz as his personal choice for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

García made the comments during an interview with Spanish radio programme El Larguero, where he was asked about the leading Spanish contenders for this year’s award.

The defender identified Ruiz, Rodri and Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal as players with strong claims, but when asked to select one, he chose Ruiz.

García’s comments come ahead of the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, which is scheduled for October 26 at the London Palladium Theatre in London. The event will mark the 70th anniversary of the award and will be held in London for the first time.

Ruiz is among the 30 nominees for the men’s Ballon d’Or alongside fellow Spaniards Rodri and Yamal. Other nominees include Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Júnior.

García’s preference gives Ruiz further recognition as the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder remains in contention for the individual honour following his performances for club and country.

Ruiz was part of the Spain team that won the 2026 FIFA World Cup and also featured for PSG during their campaign in European football. However, the Ballon d’Or winner will ultimately be determined through the official voting process rather than individual endorsements from players or other football figures.

The 2026 award will be decided by an international panel of journalists representing the top 100 men's national teams in the FIFA rankings. Each voter selects 10 players from the shortlist and awards points according to their positions.

With the ceremony approaching, Ruiz, Yamal, Rodri and the other nominees will remain in contention until the final votes are counted and the winner is announced in London.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia