Kylian Mbappe broke his silence about the decision to assign Rodri de Ballon d'Or about Vinicius JR, who was the overwhelming favorite for many last year.
The Ballon d'Or is given to the best player during the calendar year, as voted by journalists and publications from all over the world, with Lionel Messi won a record eight Gongs.
Although it is intended to celebrate the exploits of one player for 12 months, it is often awarded to a player who has excited himself at at least one big tournament.
For example, Rodri won the 2024 European Championships with Spain, the Premier League with Man City and the club World Cup.
With Vinicius and Real Madrid who won the Champions League and Laliga, he was the tough favorite, only to be rejected for Rodri, a decision in which Real Madrid unbelievably sent the Boycott event and nobody sent their team prize.
As such, Vinicius' Real Madrid teammate Mbappe was asked about the Ballon d'Or in an exclusive interview with Le Parisien, and revealed what he made of Rodri who won the prize.
'What is a balloon d'Or player? Rodri, do you consider a player as a balloon d'Or? I thought the balloon d'Or would go to Vinicius, but in the end it went to Rodri. If I had told you three months earlier, you would have said, “What the hell are you talking about?”, “He said.
“Today we do not know who the Ballon d'Or or goes to, except that no one should be excluded, that all players can be awarded, perhaps even a keeper,” he added.
A goalkeeper has no longer won the prize since Lev Yashin in 1963, and this has been dominated by strikers or wing players in the last two decades.
Since 2025, only five non-preliminary players have won the prize; Pavel Nedved (2003), Fabio Cannavaro (2006), Kaka (2007), Luka Modric (2018) and Rodri (2025).
Mohamed Salah was thought that it was one of the leaders for the prize this year, but with Liverpool from the Champions League, and the Africa Cup of Nations that was published two months after the Ballon d'Or, his opportunities can be slim.
Real Madrid stars Vinicius JR, Jude Bellingham and Mbappe themselves are likely to be there if their side can conquer the Champions League and Laliga, although Raphina has Barcelona in exceptional form and also has a chance at both competitions.
Harry Kane will also have a good scream after another stunning season with Bayern Munich and Ousmane Dembele has been one of Europe's most deadly attackers, but it will probably depend on the outcome of the Champions League.
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