Rodri Picks Six Spanish Stars Over Mbappe for 2026 Ballon d'Or
Barcelona midfielder Rodri has thrown his support behind a group of his Spanish teammates as the leading contenders for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, overlooking high-profile names like Kylian Mbappe. After Spain's triumphant World Cup run, Rodri believes the award should stay within La Roja.
Rodri’s Six-Man Shortlist
The 30-year-old, speaking with El Partidazo de COPE, revealed the six players he thinks deserve the prestigious individual award. All six are his fellow Spanish internationals:
- Marc Cucurella
- Pau Cubarsi
- Fabian Ruiz
- Lamine Yamal
- Ferran Torres
- Rodri himself
"What I would really like is for a Spaniard to win it. There are six of us: Cucurella, Cubarsi, Rodri, Ruiz, Lamine, and Ferran. I can tell you that, individually, every one of them absolutely deserves the Ballon d'Or. I think all my teammates have solid arguments," Rodri stated.
Why Each Spanish Star Stands Out
Rodri shared what makes each nominee special. Fabian Ruiz topped the list for collective titles won during the demanding season. The young Pau Cubarsi impressed despite being only 19 years old, while Lamine Yamal was described as "incredible." Ferran Torres earned praise for netting the decisive goal in key moments. Rodri also reminded listeners of his own accolade as Player of the Tournament.
- Fabian Ruiz: Most titles won
- Pau Cubarsi: Outstanding achievements at 19
- Ferran Torres: Scored the decisive goal
- Lamine Yamal: Simply incredible
- Rodri: Player of the Tournament
No Place for Mbappe and Other Global Stars
By focusing exclusively on his Spanish teammates, Rodri left out global stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Ousmane Dembele. Despite their strong goal-scoring reputations, these players did not feature in his shortlist.
"I think it's great that they consider themselves the best in the world," Rodri said calmly about the other elite forwards.
