Fabian Ruiz over Mbappe for Ballon d'Or? Lizarazu Points to Trophies as the Measure

In this year's Ballon d'Or race, football fans in Spain and France are locked in an age-old debate: should the biggest individual prize be decided by trophies or by individual brilliance? Former French defender Bixente Lizarazu has just thrown himself into the row with a simple but firm conviction — look at the trophies, and you will see the name of Fabian Ruiz, not Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman argues that the Ballon d'Or should not celebrate flashy dribbles or stack up individual statistics. It should reward players who lifted the most significant silverware of the season. Based on that reading, Fabian Ruiz's claim is stronger than ever because the Spanish midfielder shares in a rare double triumph: the Champions League and the World Cup. Few players in the same generation can put their hands on two such prestigious pieces of silverware in one defining stretch. Lizarazu's position has reignited the age-old debate between the artist and the winner. Mbappe represents goals, speed and spectacular bursts — the player built for social media and viral clips. Ruiz represents balance, control and the quiet authority in midfield. The analyst notes that while Mbappe may dominate the scoring charts, football is ultimately a group sport. Trophies are the most objective measure of a season; they cannot be faked and they demand consistency. A closer look at Ruiz's performances during the World Cup and Champions League shows why Lizarazu is so convinced. Ruiz did not need to be the top scorer to become the tournament's fulcrum. He dictated tempo, escaped pressure and supplied his team with timely passes. His calmness in the most pressurised moments became a key factor behind Spain's success. The article does not claim he was the most visible man on the pitch; it claims he was one of the most influential, even if his influence is hard to capture with ordinary statistics. Yet the debate is far from closed. Mbappe remains a truly extraordinary talent, capable of deciding a match with an individual moment of genius. No one denies his status as one of the finest players of his generation. But Lizarazu insists that a Ballon d'Or should not be a reward for hashtags and short replays. If it is, why are decisive midfielders repeatedly overlooked? Why are the key passers and tempo-setters not recognised as winners? The counter-argument is just as strong: too many trophies as the sole criterion would reduce a deeply individual award to a team trophy contest. The article warns that this could create a dangerous precedent. While Ruiz's achievements deserve serious attention, the voters must still balance David-vs-Goliath questions about collective honour and individual dominance. The debate is therefore not only about Fabian Ruiz and Mbappe; it is about the very nature of the Ballon d'Or itself. Lizarazu, a World Cup winner himself, knows that trophies stay with a player forever and that nations and clubs remember their champions. He wants football to look beyond the surface brightness of attacking stars and rediscover the hidden art of midfield orchestration. Even if the Ballon d'Or ultimately goes to Mbappe, the former defender has already achieved something important: he made everyone look more carefully at the quiet, efficient contributions of Fabian Ruiz.