Ballon d'Or 2026: La Liga President Names Who Should Win Ahead of Lamine Yamal
- La Liga president Javier Tebas has disclosed his favourite to clinch the 2026 Ballon d'Or Award next month
- Interestingly, Tebas overlooked Lamine Yamal, who won the Most Valuable Player in the Spanish top flight last season
- The Ballon d'Or race remains wide open, with Yamal, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe also among the leading contenders
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Javier Tebas has publicly declared that Rodri deserves to win the 2026 Ballon d'Or, arguing that his World Cup performances outweigh concerns about the time he spent on the sidelines through injury last season.
Tebas made his position clear in comments reported after the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Rodri played a central role in Spain's triumph and was awarded the tournament's Golden Ball as its best player.
Source: Getty Images
La Liga president makes case for Rodri
The La Liga chief acknowledged the injury lay-off but remained unequivocal in his view. He said, as cited by Tribuna:
"Even though he was out for long periods due to injury, the World Cup he played in, he performed at an incredibly high level."
"I think Rodri should win the Ballon d'Or again."
For Tebas, the combination of a World Cup winners' medal and the Golden Ball represents a compelling enough case to put Rodri ahead of the field, regardless of what he missed earlier in the campaign.
Who wins the 2026 Ballon d'Or?
The race for the prestigious individual award is far from settled, with several world-class players still in contention for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe are among the other names widely regarded as serious contenders following their performances at the World Cup.
The strength of the field has made this year's edition of the coveted awards one of the most open Ballon d’Or races in recent years.
Perhaps more surprising, however, was Javier Tebas’ decision to overlook Yamal, despite the Barcelona star being named the Best Player in La Liga.
According to the league’s official website, Yamal enjoyed a superb campaign, scoring 16 goals and providing 12 assists.
His performances proved crucial in several of Barcelona’s biggest matches and further strengthened his case among the world’s elite players.
Updated 2026 Ballon d'Or rankings
In another Ballon d'Or-related piece, YEN.com.gh published an updated list of contenders, with Kylian Mbappe leading the race ahead of Lamine Yamal.
Harry Kane ranks third, while Rodri completes the top four.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
