In the world of soccer, there are many mantras and false myths. Such as "new coach, guaranteed victory" and "penalty kicks are a lottery." There's also the belief that in a World Cup year, the Ballon d'Or award will go to players who were part of the winning national team. It's true-this has often been the case. Without going any further, in 2023, Leo Messi won his eighth award after helping Argentina win the World Cup in an unusual tournament held in Qatar from November to December 2022.
Messi himself set a precedent that still stings for the Spanish. At the height of the Guardiola era in Barcelona, Spain won the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Iniesta, with his game-winning goal in the final, and Xavi, with his brilliant year, were the clear favorites to take home the Ballon d'Or. A close vote, however, relegated the Spaniards to second and third place, with Messi emerging as the winner with 22.65% of the votes.
Oct 24, 2026; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Leo Messi (10) dribbles against Red Bull New York defender Devin Padelford (59) during the second half at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images
This year, with Spain being crowned two-time world champions, the narrative led many to believe that Lamine Yamal and Rodrigo were serious contenders for the highest individual honor. Although Yamal's performance in the tournament wasn't entirely stellar, the team's success was partly thanks to him. His season with Barcelona was spectacular and featured memorable performances. Had they been accompanied by a decisive goal in the World Cup, it would have made his win inevitable and would have awarded him the Ballon d'Or.
Spain won the World Cup as a very cohesive team, in which no single player dominated the headlines on his own. It was their team play that led them to defeat Argentina in the final. Rodrigo, whose club season was unremarkable, had a tournament in which he improved as it went on and ended up winning the Ballon d'Or at the World Cup.
Kylian Mbappé made history in the United States. In his third World Cup, at age 27, he reached the 21-goal mark and is now the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history. It's a record for both goals scored and precocious talent. It's daunting to think how far he might extend his legacy, as his youth and knack for finding the back of the net suggest we'll see him playing well into 2030 and 2034 at the very least.
Jul 14, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; France forward Kylian Mbappe (10) in action during a semifinal match between France and Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Dallas Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
With Real Madrid, Mbappé has been a mixed bag. For the second year since joining the club, he found the back of the net 42 times. He didn't win the Golden Boot, but he did claim the title of La Liga's top scorer for the second time in his second season in Spain. Despite his impressive numbers, failing to win the Ballon d'Or is a compelling reason to believe that the award will have to wait at least one more year before it reaches his hands.
As Vincent Garcia, editor-in-chief of France Football magazine, has already reported, Mbappé was leading the voting for a long time, but he was ultimately overtaken. According to the editor, the final margin was less than 41 votes, making it the closest vote in history. Previously, this record was held by Rodrigo over Vinicius Jr. in 2024. This is Mbappé's best result to date, surpassing the third-place finish he earned in 2023 behind Messi and Erling Haaland.
Finally, we've found the winner. When the World Cup came to an end and England capped off its run with the bronze medal, no one saw what would happen nearly four months later. Harry Kane, in addition to winning the award for best forward, claimed the most coveted honor, becoming the first English player to do so since Michael Owen in 2001-the fifth English player in history.
Kane's strong World Cup performance is underscored by his impressive scoring stats, where only Mbappé can rival him. The Englishman, with 73 goals in 65 games, attended the ceremony as a potential candidate for a top-3 finish, but very few people thought he would win.
Soccer Football – FIFA World Cup 2026 – Bronze Final – France v England – Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S. – July 18, 2026 England's Harry Kane before the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Sam Navarro
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For several years now, every Ballon d'Or ceremony has left fans more and more perplexed. There are no clear criteria, and given that journalists are responsible for the voting, there should be standardized rules for the award. Individual performance should take precedence, provided it is accompanied by team success.
It's incomprehensible that Yamal has been named the world's best player for two consecutive years, yet the award slips away from him due to minor details. Dembélé's victory in 2025 was well-deserved, thanks to his strong individual performance within the context of PSG's overall success.
This year, Yamal was poised to become the youngest Ballon d'Or winner in history. A World Cup appearance and numerous moments of technical brilliance supported his candidacy. The 2027 award will be his last chance to be named the youngest winner in history. It's only a matter of time.
For his part, Rodrigo started out at a significant disadvantage compared to his compatriot and teammate. His season with Manchester City was turbulent, and his only real selling point was his strong performance at the World Cup. Nevertheless, he achieved a commendable fourth-place finish, which establishes him as the best central midfielder in the world, ahead of Fabián Ruiz and Vitinha, who finished in tenth and fourteenth place, respectively.
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