Former VfB Stuttgart defender Frank Verlaat has identified Spain midfielder Rodri as a top candidate to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
According to Verlaat, Rodri won the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain, following a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final, while Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane failed to win the tournament.
Rodri, who now plays for Barcelona, was named the tournament’s best player.
“You have got a very important No. 6 in Rodri from Spain. What you see with the Ballon d’Or is that the winner has usually won a big competition like the World Cup or the Champions League,” Verlaat told Bulinews.
“He [Harry Kane] didn’t do that. But that doesn’t change the fact that he had a fantastic season and scored so many goals.”
Rodri won the Ballon d’Or in 2024 ahead of his Spain teammate Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe.
Ballon d’Or 2026: Kane didn’t win World Cup – Frank Verlaat picks top candidate for award