"He must attend the ceremony": Ballon d'Or guests say Al-Nassr star is the best Saudi player

Who is meant?

Guests at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony chose the player they believe deserves to be called the best Saudi player right now.

French magazine "France Football" staged the 2026 Ballon d'Or in the British capital London in the early hours of yesterday, Tuesday.

Representing "Thmanyah", the broadcaster of the Roshn League, Saudi journalist Sharji attended the ceremony and set about interviewing the guests in London.

His question was simple: who deserves to be called the best Saudi player after the national team's appearance at the 2026 World Cup and their triumph at the Arabian Gulf Cup, "Khaleeji 27"?

Almost everyone landed on the same name. Al-Nassr midfielder Abdullah Al-Khaibari got the nod from the guests, with just one person backing his teammate, striker Abdullah Al-Hamdan.

One guest joked: "Abdullah Al-Khaibari should be present at the ceremony. In fact, I think he is bigger than the Ballon d'Or award."

Al-Khaibari remains a key figure for both Al-Nassr and the Saudi national team. He played his part in Saudi Arabia's Arabian Gulf Cup crowning, a title that had eluded them for 23 years.