Former France international Jérôme Rothen expressed fierce anger after winger Désiré Doué was omitted from the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or. The list of contenders for the most prestigious individual trophy was revealed on Tuesday by France Football. Rothen, a pundit for RMC, labelled the snub a real scandal, arguing that the young Paris Saint-Germain player fully deserved his place.
Désiré Doué, aged 21, had a remarkable 2025-2026 season. He was a key figure for Champions League-winning PSG and played an active role in their victorious European campaign. Last year, he already finished 14th in the Ballon d'Or ranking, making his exclusion from the top 30 this year even more baffling to his supporters. Rothen stressed his impact in big games, stating he was often the difference-maker in the latter stages of the Champions League. The pundit said: "They have shit in their eyes or they don't watch the matches. When you look at PSG's campaign last year..."
The player is an established member of Didier Deschamps's squad. He already has 15 caps and has scored 3 goals for Les Bleus. His participation in the 2026 World Cup, where France is targeting the title, is another point raised by Rothen to justify a nomination. The France team, currently preparing for upcoming challenges, can rely on a young and talented squad detailed on our squad page. The club performances of French internationals are under intense scrutiny, especially in a major tournament year.
Paris Saint-Germain, as Champions League winners, has ten players on the list, a record for the club. This dominance highlights the exceptional collective season for the capital side. However, Doué's absence amidst this plethora of Parisian representatives is what most shocked the former midfielder. The debate thus centres on individual recognition within a highly successful team unit. Detailed statistics for all French internationals at club level are available in our stats section.
The France team now focuses on the continuation of their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Nominated players, like those who were overlooked, will need to keep performing to retain the manager's trust. The upcoming match schedule can be viewed on our fixtures page. For Désiré Doué, the response must come on the pitch, by continuing to shine with PSG and making decisive contributions in future national team call-ups. His next chance to impress with Les Bleus is a qualifying match scheduled for 15 October 2026.
