Rodri Backs Six Spain Stars for 2026 Ballon d’Or After World Cup Win

Rodri wants Spain’s World Cup-winning squad to dominate the conversation for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, naming six La Roja players he believes have credible cases for football’s leading individual prize.

Key takeaways

• Rodri’s preferred Ballon d’Or winner is a Spain international following the country’s World Cup success.
• He named Marc Cucurella, Pau Cubarsi, Fabian Ruiz, Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and himself among his candidates.
• Fabian Ruiz was singled out for collecting the greatest number of team honours during the season.
• Rodri pointed to Ferran Torres’ decisive goal and his own Player of the Tournament award.
• Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele were absent from his list.

Rodri backs Spain’s World Cup core

The 30-year-old former Manchester City midfielder said he would like the award to remain with a Spanish player after La Roja’s historic World Cup triumph. His six-man selection was made up exclusively of his international team-mates.

Rodri argued that each of Cucurella, Cubarsi, Ruiz, Yamal and Torres had produced enough to warrant consideration, alongside his own campaign. He said all of the Spanish contenders had substantial individual arguments in their favour.

Ruiz’s haul of collective trophies was a central part of Rodri’s case for the midfielder. He also praised Barcelona defender Cubarsi for the level of achievement he has reached at only 19, while describing Yamal’s contribution as exceptional.

Torres received recognition for delivering the crucial goal at the key moment of Spain’s run. Rodri, meanwhile, noted that he had been voted Player of the Tournament during the World Cup.

Elite forwards left outside his shortlist

Rodri’s all-Spanish selection meant there was no place among his favourites for several high-profile attacking candidates. Mbappe, Kane, Kvaratskhelia and Dembele were not included despite their respective scoring records and prominence in the wider Ballon d’Or debate.

He nevertheless said he understood why those forwards were being strongly promoted, adding that it was positive for players of that level to regard themselves as the best in the world.