The French newspaper L’Équipe highlighted Lionel Messi as one of the five key candidates for the 2026 Ballon d’Or on its cover this Tuesday, alongside Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Ousmane Dembélé, and Harry Kane. The cover, titled «C’est leur projet» («It’s their project»), sparked a debate on the Spanish program El Chiringuito regarding the omission of Rodri, the 2024 award winner.
Panelist Cristóbal Soria expressed his disbelief that L’Équipe would exclude Rodri from the image, stating, «Que L’Équipe no puede sacar de esa foto a Rodri.» He emphasized that his concern was not about the order of the players depicted but rather about Rodri’s absence entirely. Argentine journalist Matías Palacios, another panelist, attributed the omission to circumstances unrelated to L’Équipe’s editorial choices, saying, «Se bajó él mismo, se bajó el club, se bajó L’Équipe.»
Palacios linked Rodri’s absence to his recent transfer from Manchester City to Barcelona, questioning if the publication could exclude him when Barcelona had taken him out of the equation. While Soria maintained that L’Équipe’s decision was unjustified, another participant acknowledged the emotional impact of such exclusions.
The cover, dated September 15, features a composite image of Mbappé, Yamal, Messi, Dembélé, and Kane, with a note indicating that the winner will be announced on October 26. As anticipation grows, clubs and players are beginning to campaign for the award in their own unique ways. Despite not being prominently featured, Rodri remains a contender, having been nominated among the 30 candidates.
Rodri, who recently signed a four-year contract with Barcelona, appeared as the projected winner in an AI analysis by Google on September 10, which placed him ahead of his competitors. Messi’s inclusion in the L’Équipe cover coincides with his return to the list of nominees after missing the previous edition. The Argentine, currently with Inter Miami, holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or wins, having claimed the trophy eight times between 2009 and 2023.
The complete list of male candidates released by France Football on September 8 also features Lautaro Martínez, Julián Quiñones, and several Paris Saint-Germain players such as Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Nuno Mendes, and Vitinha. The award will be determined by a jury of 100 journalists from the countries ranked highest by FIFA.
Despite the controversy surrounding his exclusion from the L’Équipe cover, Rodri is still considered a strong contender according to various projections ahead of the ceremony. In the 2024 edition, he garnered 17.6% of the votes, just edging out Brazilian Vinícius Jr. with 17%. The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place on October 26 in London, marking the first time it will be held outside France in honor of English player Stanley Matthews, who won the inaugural award in 1956.
Fuente: www.infobae.com
