Arsenal placed three footballers in the 2026 men's Ballon d’Or top 30: Declan Rice finished 15th, Gabriel 21st and William Saliba joint 29th. For FPL managers, the interesting question is not who earned the most votes. It is which player can actually return the most fantasy points at their price.
Arsenal's Ballon d’Or rankings 2026
| Arsenal player | Men's Ballon d’Or 2026 | FPL position | Main fantasy scoring routes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declan Rice | 15th | Midfielder | Chances created, set pieces, attacking returns, defensive contributions |
| Gabriel | 21st | Defender | Clean sheets, set-piece shots, bonus, defensive contributions |
| William Saliba | Joint 29th | Defender | Starts, clean sheets, bonus, defensive contributions |
Those placements come from the organisers' published men's ranking. They assess a past football season and national-team performances; they do not measure 2026/27 expected FPL points.
Gabriel: the Ballon d’Or defender with an exceptional FPL season
Gabriel's 2025/26 total of 209 FPL points was the third-highest defender score in Premier League fantasy history when the new season launched. The official Premier League review credited him with three goals, five assists, 18 clean sheets and 22 defensive-contribution points in that campaign. Those are precise 2025/26 historical totals, not his current GW8 tally.
Gabriel's profile is unusual: he combines the clean-sheet foundation of Arsenal's defence with real set-piece threat and extra DefCon routes. But the most expensive and most celebrated player is not necessarily the best buy at today's live FPL price. Compare him with Saliba, Raya, and lower-cost defenders using OneFPL Player Lab. Source: Premier League's Gabriel breakdown.
Latest FPL news
Saliba: do not confuse a lower award place with lower fantasy value
Saliba is joint 29th in the award ranking. That has no mechanical relationship to his clean-sheet points. As a central defender, a secure start and Arsenal shutout can form the backbone of a useful FPL score—but OneFPL Team News on 27 October flagged Saliba with a back injury, a 0% playing chance and no confirmed return date, so managers should not assume any immediate minutes. This is a current data flag, not a confirmed future return date. See OneFPL Team News.
The distinction between Gabriel and Saliba should be made through actual prices, clean-sheet probability, attacking involvement, defensive contributions and availability. Gabriel has a more clearly documented set-piece upside; Saliba's appeal may depend on how much the price difference buys elsewhere. Do not invent live returns or claim one is guaranteed to outscore the other.
Rice: why a strong midfielder is not automatically the best FPL midfielder
Rice's 15th-place finish recognises his overall football contribution. FPL is narrower. He may create chances, take some set pieces and collect defensive-contribution points, but midfield fantasy value still depends heavily on attacking production and cost compared with more advanced players.
In 2025/26, the official Premier League reported 28 defensive-contribution points for Rice, and its opening 2026/27 price reference was £7.5m. These are historical context, not his current GW9 market price. The FPL threshold is 12 eligible defensive actions for midfielders, compared with 10 for defenders, for up to two such points in a match. Sources: Premier League DC ranking and the rules explanation.
Arsenal's upcoming GW9 and GW10 fixtures
| Gameweek | Fixture | Decision relevance |
|---|---|---|
| GW9 | Liverpool (A), Sunday 1 November | Tough clean-sheet environment; avoid buying defenders for one match alone |
| GW10 | Hull (H) | More attractive home fixture on paper, subject to current form and team news |
The official 2026/27 fixture list confirms these matchups. Arsenal's 2–0 win over Everton in GW8 showed defensive resilience, but a past clean sheet cannot guarantee another against Liverpool. If you already own both, assess Saliba’s injury separately from the Liverpool fixture. A flagged, potentially absent player is a different question from whether to hold a fit Arsenal defender through a tough week.
Which Arsenal asset should an FPL manager prefer?
| What your team needs | Player to evaluate first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Premium defender with attacking ceiling | Gabriel | Set-piece potential and standout historical points record |
| Arsenal defence at a possibly lower price | Saliba only once medically cleared | Current back-injury flag makes near-term selection uncertain |
| Midfield Arsenal exposure | Rice | Set plays and possible DefCon; compare with advanced midfielders |
| Budget for another premium attacker | None automatically | Reinvesting budget can beat forcing an Arsenal triple-up |
This is a decision framework rather than an unconditional buy ranking. OneFPL's GW9 Wildcard guide explains how to judge the whole squad, while Player Lab shows the current player data. For the injury situation affecting Arsenal's attack, see Saka's GW9 tracker.
Read the complete Ballon d’Or winners and FPL connection for the other awards.
FAQ
Where did Declan Rice finish in the 2026 Ballon d’Or? Rice finished 15th in the men's award ranking.
Where did Gabriel and William Saliba finish in 2026? Gabriel placed 21st and Saliba finished joint 29th.
Did Gabriel score 209 FPL points in 2025/26? Yes. The Premier League recorded 209 points in that season, not in 2026/27.
OneFPL verdict
The ballot rewarded three Arsenal players who perform different jobs. In fantasy, Gabriel's 209-point season is a genuine historical reason to investigate him; Rice's position and defensive output tell another story; Saliba's value depends on minutes and price. Make the comparison in points per million over future fixtures, not in award-table places.