Rayan Cherki plays down Ballon d’Or ambitions despite strong Manchester City form

Manchester City midfielder Rayan Cherki has played down talk of winning the Ballon d’Or, insisting that the prestigious individual award is not currently among his priorities.

The 23-year-old, who has France and Algerian roots has been mentioned among the players who could eventually challenge for football’s biggest individual prize after making an impressive start to life in England.

Cherki enjoyed a productive first season with Manchester City, registering 10 goals and 15 assists in 52 appearances across competitions.

Despite his performances, the France international says he is more interested in enjoying his football and developing as a player than becoming involved in the politics and calculations surrounding the Ballon d’Or.

“Do I dream of it? Not right now…,” Cherki told Téléfoot. “I’m a player who loves football. I’m not here to play political games or make calculations. I’m really just here to be myself.”

Cherki’s comments come at a time when the Ballon d’Or debate has once again dominated the football world, with several high-profile players attracting attention ahead of the 2026 award.

Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Harry Kane are among the names being discussed, while Cherki himself is one of 30 nominees for this year’s prize.

The Manchester City midfielder has also started the 2026-27 campaign strongly, contributing four goals and two assists in his opening eight matches.

That form could strengthen his case for future individual honours if he maintains his level throughout the season.

For now, however, Cherki appears determined to keep his focus on his performances rather than the Ballon d’Or conversation.

Having established himself as an important player for Manchester City, the former Lyon academy product will be hoping to continue his development and make an even greater impact in the current campaign.

Whether that eventually puts him among the leading contenders for the Ballon d’Or remains to be seen, but his early-season numbers suggest he has begun the new campaign in impressive fashion.