So, when asked who they would vote for, each of them could easily have mentioned their own name. But neither of them did.
The first to speak is Ousmane Dembélé. When talking about his Georgian team-mate, the Parisian No.10 doesn’t have to think long to explain what impresses him about him: “He has so many qualities. I think he’s got just about everything it takes,” he explains, before highlighting the Georgian's ability to be involved in all phases of the game - when Paris Saint-Germain are attacking, obviously, but also when efforts in other areas are required.
Kvaratskhelia immediately returns the compliment. Asked to cast his vote for the Ballon d’Or, the Georgian names Ousmane: “I’d vote for him because the way he plays, the way he helps the team and the way he leads the team is really important to us. He’s incredible. We’re simply very happy to have him in the team and to be able to watch him play. ”
For Kvara, this admiration goes beyond mere technical ability. It also extends to Dembélé’s influence on the team, his leadership and his ability to turn big matches around.
To illustrate this influence, Kvaratskhelia doesn’t need to look too far into the past. One of the most memorable moments of the season: the penalty Dembélé scored against Arsenal: “For me, the most important thing was the penalty against Arsenal. We had absolute confidence in him - with the score at 1-0 in the Champions League final. He took the ball and scored, without fear.”
In his view, this highlights what makes a player capable of challenging for the Ballon d’Or: the ability to step up and take responsibility when it matters most. And yet, the Georgian doesn’t stop there. He also recalls the goal Dembélé scored against Olympique de Marseille in Ligue 1: “It was an incredible goal. I was on the bench and I thought to myself: ‘Wow, how does he do that?’ But every goal he scores is incredible.”
When asked which aspect of Dembélé’s game he’d like to emulate, the choice becomes almost impossible: “He has so many qualities that I don’t know which one to choose. Perhaps the way he plays with both feet, and the way he accelerates with the ball. When he starts running with the ball, he’s impossible to catch.”
Then he highlights it simply: “He’s brimming with qualities.”
This admiration runs both ways and also helps explain the quality of their partnership on the pitch. Ousmane begins by pointing out that their chemistry didn’t just start with their first few matches together. The two players quickly found their feet, even off the pitch: “It’s easy to play with a player of this calibre.”
Kvaratskhelia is on the same page. For him, their mutual understanding rests as much on their personal relationship as on their footballing qualities: “We understand each other very well, both off the pitch and on it. It’s really easy to understand his style of play.”
The Georgian knows, in particular, that with Dembélé, a single run can be enough: “When you make a run, you know he can play the ball to you wherever you are, and you can find yourself one-on-one with the 'keeper. With his qualities, you have to be ready at all times.”
This reading of the game explains the sense of fluidity when the two men combine. There’s no need for long exchanges: their runs, bursts of pace and passes complement each other almost naturally.
This closeness makes their position in the Ballon d’Or race all the more interesting. For despite their status as contenders, neither of them seems keen to turn the individual award into a personal matter. Kvara is clear when asked if he could win the trophy: “There really are some extraordinary players amongst the contenders, and it’s a real pleasure to be in this race.” But he immediately steers the conversation back to what has mattered to him since his arrival in Paris: continuing to improve, staying hungry and, above all, winning more trophies with Paris Saint-Germain.
Dembélé takes a similar line. He doesn’t deny that he had a stellar season in individual terms. But when he looks back, what stands out above all else is the team’s success. “The most important thing was winning with Paris Saint-Germain.”
A philosophy that also explains why neither of them is seeking to campaign for themselves.
When asked whether not talking up his chances for the Ballon d’Or helps to preserve the team spirit at Paris Saint-Germain, Khvicha replies with a smile, but also with genuine humility: “Personally, I know who the best player is: my friend. ”
As for the rest, he believes the choice lies with the voters. He prefers not to change anything that has enabled the team to enjoy such a successful season: “We simply want to carry on working hard. We don’t want to change after our success or our season. We want to stay the same.”
And when he talks about Dembélé, the Georgian emphasises precisely this consistency: “His personality is really different from everyone else’s. He’s always the same. He’s an example to me. So I want to be a good example too, and I keep quiet.”
A statement that resonates particularly strongly with Dembélé, who is now familiar with the spotlight that comes with a Ballon d’Or.
When reflecting on his victorious award ceremony last season, the Parisian striker naturally recalls a special evening, surrounded by his loved ones, his friends and all the people who have played a significant role in his career: “It was an incredible evening. I remember that night with all my loved ones, all my friends… It changed my life.”
But the trophy hasn’t changed his approach: “Other people’s perceptions may change, but personally, I’ve always stayed focused, always remained the same person.”
It is precisely this attitude that Kvaratskhelia says he admires in his team-mate. And when it comes to discussing his own nomination, Dembélé takes the same line: no campaign, no grand statements, simply the desire to keep moving forward: “It’s a big event. But I’m focused, calm. I don’t need to say anything.”
The interview could have pitted two candidates against each other. Ultimately, however, it tells a different story: two players who respect one another, who bring out the best in each other and who, when talking about their season, invariably return to the same starting point. The big matches. The trophies. The shared experiences. The fans, the Parc des Princes. And that determination to keep winning together. With just a few weeks to go before the verdict, each has his own view of the other. But when they talk about Paris Saint-Germain, their views converge.
The Ballon d’Or is an individual award. Their season, however, has always been about more than that.
